More

Guess The Artist (PHOTO)

First Posted: 07/21/11 05:13 AM ET   Updated: 09/19/11 06:12 AM ET

This 18th century French artist is best known for his decadent and frequently erotic paintings of upper class French society. Guess his identity in the poll below and come back tomorrow for the answer, with more information and artwork by the artist.

Quick Poll

Who is the artist?

François Boucher

Jean-Antoine Watteau

Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin

Jean-Honoré Fragonard


FOLLOW HUFFPOST ARTS

This 18th century French artist is best known for his decadent and frequently erotic paintings of upper class French society. Guess his identity in the poll below and come back tomorrow for the answer...
This 18th century French artist is best known for his decadent and frequently erotic paintings of upper class French society. Guess his identity in the poll below and come back tomorrow for the answer...
Filed by Melinda Brocka  | 
 
 
  • Comments
  • 38
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Favorites
Recency  | 
Popularity
Page: 1 2  Next ›  Last »  (2 total)
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
jgcarroll
One law for the lion and ox is oppression
08:00 PM on 07/22/2011
Bob Warhol, Andy's voyeuristic older brother. He's got some repressed anger issues, don't you think?
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
photo
05:39 PM on 07/21/2011
Le verrou, Jean-Honoré Fragonard. I love his painting, The Swing. He loved to be naughty.
photo
f0rTyLeGz
Everything is falling.
02:33 AM on 07/22/2011
I think so too. It's all very Rococo.
photo
philhellene
Far Left and Proud of It!
12:18 PM on 07/21/2011
Chardin.

It is in the style of David, Ingres or even Delacroix - sparse in detail, muted colors, blurred lines. Looks even as if it was painted in the Revolutionary period.
photo
GraphicMatt
Somebody make me a sandwich!
12:07 PM on 07/21/2011
Oh, that's a tough one......I hated all the fete gallant painters......I'll go with Fragonard.....
11:45 AM on 07/21/2011
Le Verrou (The Bolt) Jean-Honore Fragonard, currently in Louvre.
11:37 AM on 07/21/2011
Love 'The Bolt.' A contemporary reprint of 'Dangerous Liaisons' features this painting on its dust sleeve, and perfectly suits the novel.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mrm3
11:26 AM on 07/21/2011
Jean-Michel Basquiat
photo
GraphicMatt
Somebody make me a sandwich!
12:08 PM on 07/21/2011
LOL......now that was quite the guess.
photo
Scholastica8
PEOPLE MATTER!
11:21 AM on 07/21/2011
That was the pouty, sexy, ex-Disney princess video of the day. How little decadence has really changed.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
AlsoSarah
Medicare for all
11:09 AM on 07/21/2011
Who painted it? This drives me crazy.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Bluelynx
10:46 AM on 07/21/2011
Never mind who painted it. What on Earth is going on here?
10:44 AM on 07/21/2011
Wow, if you don't get the point in the posture of the subjects, there is more than one phallic image suggested in the drapery and bedding.....At the time, I think it was probably a shocking painting.
photo
Scholastica8
PEOPLE MATTER!
11:18 AM on 07/21/2011
Au contraire. We tend to think that we live in a very licentious time. However, compared to certain past eras we are prudes.

That sort of painting was a profitable genre, particularly in France. Of course, the more prudish elements of society would have tut-tutted, but would have found the keeping of a mistress totally acceptable. It would have been a painting intended for one's mistress' boudoire. Ca1750-ca1820 was an era of increasingly "tropical" behavior (as I once heard it described)

For example, if you look at paintings you'll notice that ladies' decolletage was often covered by a fichu (that scarf that you see in all paintings of Martha Washington). Hot young things had their gowns cut so low and tight that not only was there extreme cleavage, but the auriole of the breasts showed above the bodice. Whip off that delicate scarf and Voila!

Later during the Empire, when the gowns had become high waisted without much understructure, very shear lawn fabric was the height of fashion for young ladies. It was a fairly common trick for them to get dressed, then have their maid pour water over them. The dress would then cling to the body and remain that way as it dried.... leaving little to the imagination.
12:00 PM on 07/21/2011
I love this information!! Your reply was a treat! Thank you, now I am off to do more study on the details and learn these finer points. Knowledge like this makes me feel more like a world citizen who has a grasp of history rather than a narrow minded little townie who knows little except of her immediate surroundings, you know? Ah, I love the internet!
10:30 AM on 07/21/2011
Fragonard or Watteau. I'm going with Watteau, but this is a period of art that has never really grabbed me. Things got a lot more interesting in France a few years later.
photo
etiennemacchias
Just trying to make it through this crazy world
12:00 PM on 07/21/2011
The strong, dramatic colors and the backdrop gave it away. It cannot be Watteau.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Seneca
influences sound government
10:27 AM on 07/21/2011
A better quiz would be: Which artist born in the 1500s most influenced the technique of this work of the 18th century artist Fragonard?
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Seneca
influences sound government
10:23 AM on 07/21/2011
The former Lady Worsley .. as it were.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Sharkcellar
support your local library.
10:21 AM on 07/21/2011
Somebody's gonna get f'd tonight.
10:41 AM on 07/21/2011
Wrong, that's NOT the title of this painting!
:-)
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Sharkcellar
support your local library.
11:03 AM on 07/21/2011
It's the 21st century version of 'The Latch'.