Maria Sibylla Merian travelled with her younger daughter to Surinam, a Dutch colony in South America, where she made extensive notes and sketches, and collected dried plants and animals preserved in alcohol.
Rococo (c. 1700 – 1760)
What’s that dog yapping about? This mischievous woman throws caution—and her slipper—to the wind.
Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing
German architecture in the 18th century refashioned the imported French Rococo and Italian Baroque styles to create something distinct.
Architecture in 18th-century Germany
The Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture oversaw—and held a monopoly over—the arts in France until 1793.
The Formation of a French School: the ...
The portability and affordability of prints contributed to the exchange of information and ideas between cultures.
Printmaking in Europe, c. 1400−1800
Artificial? Moi? This genuine portrait of familial affection challenged assumptions about the aristocracy.
Vigée Le Brun, Self-Portrait with her Daughter
Complete with barnyard guests, this rural wedding party embodies the Enlightenment idea of “natural” man.
Jean-Baptiste Greuze, The Village Bride
She fled France in disguise, but Vigée Le Brun does little to conceal her face—or her sympathy to Marie Antoinette.
Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Self-Portrait
With its organic curves and elegant lines, this meticulously crafted table encapsulates Rococo design.
Bernard II van Risenburgh, Writing table
Best known for their allegorical ceiling frescoes, this father-son team also produced cinematic prints.
The Tiepolo Family
Flush with power and wealth, French aristocrats pursued all pleasures. Then came the Enlightenment—and Revolution.
A beginner’s guide to Rococo art
With its fantastical setting and lovers’ dance, this painting introduced a new genre: the “fête galante.”
Antoine Watteau, Pilgrimage to Cythera
In this cycle, Fragonard indulges the viewer’s taste for theatre and pleasure. Subtly is in short supply!
Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Progress of Love: The ...
Vigée Le Brun’s eye for drama and love of theatrical play bring this aristocratic portrait to life.
Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, Madame Perregaux
Who is she? Boucher’s intimate portrait of King Louis XV’s mistress is strong on persona, short on personality.
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