Research topic: Jean-Antoine Watteau

Jean-Antoine Watteau , 1684-1721, French painter of Flemish descent, b. Valenciennes. Until 1704 poverty forced him to work in the shops of mediocre artists, where he produced genre and devotional subjects. In 1704-8 he studied in the studio of Claude Gillot, an adept painter of scenes of theatrical life, which later became the subject of some of Watteau's finest paintings, such as Love in the Italian Theatre and Love in the French Theatre (both: Berlin). In 1708-9 Watteau worked with the decorator Claude Audran. Watteau attracted the attention of eminent patrons in his last years, including... Read more