Silk, lapdogs and a quick brush
Jean-Honoré Fragonard
Jean-Honoré Fragonard in Paris around 1770, with one dim room from his years in Rome, full of women, babies and a dog. A woman at her desk turning from her letter and a posy of flowers, a small white dog on the chair, two sisters holding each other in yellow and pink, a lady in an old-fashioned ruff holding up her dog, and a girl reading in profile against blue sky. Painted quickly, in silk colours and warm light.
As a puzzle
Soft going. Fragonard blends silk, skin and air into one another, so there are few hard edges and colour does most of the work. Start from the faces, the pearls and the white dogs, then the folds of the dresses. The two ovals sit in black corners that go together last, and the Roman room is mostly shadow. Keep the count moderate.
A good size here: 40–150 pieces.
Also filed under French Rococo
Subjects here: PortraitsEveryday LifeChildrenInteriors
6 pictures, pick one to build
