Some may think that Jean-Honore Fragonard was a pervert. Perhaps he was. Or was he just facetious? I prefer to think the latter. Fragonard was a Rococo painter in France in the 1700's. Rococo was--for lack of a better word--frilly. His most famous painting he called The Swing. There is a girl on a swing and she is being pushed by an older man. The other man in the picture is hiding in the bushes to catch a perfect glimpse up her skirt. It is quite obvious that the whole thing was planned by the two young people. A statue in the left side of the painting has a finger up to his lips in a "hush" position because he knows what's going on and is trying to keep it a secret.
I like this picture purely because I find it amusing. There are a lot of works of art that have very deep meanings, but all this painting takes is a second look to understand the whole story. I think Fragonard 's biggest success in the painting is the way he painted the mischievous looks on the faces of the younger people.
The first time I saw this painting was in my AP Art History class my senior year of high school. It is definitely worth remembering because it is just funny.
Rococo. Not many people have heard this word, and if they have they usually don't know what it is. It was a French style that was over-the-top decorative and pertained mostly to decor. It reminds me of when I went to Spain over the summer and toured the Royal Palace in Madrid. The interior was absolutely beautiful. The walls were lavishly decorated with designs made of wood and other things. In some rooms the ceiling and the floors matched the walls so it was a bit disorienting for a second or two.
The word Rococo also reminds me of my cousin's dog that was named Cocoa. It was a wild dog. I was afraid of her for so long but she was just one of those hyper animals that likes to hop all over people. She was harmless.
1 hr. 10 min. (I figured it was about time I stopped...half hour over the time limit and my brain still isn't functioning at a high level because of the cold so forgive the sloppiness.)
I really hate Rococo I reminds me of art that your grandmother would have in their bathroom. I'm glad that you think that it's funny because I agree with you fully. I really do like how random your piece goes from Spain to your cousin's dog. That's how my brain works as well so don't feel bad.
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