Lot 2156 D α

Watteau reiterated the motif of a young woman on a swing in several drawings and paintings. The most well-known example of these is probably his painting “L´escarpolete” in the Museum Syinebrychoff in Helsinki. With these works, Watteau introduced a motif to the art of the early 18th century that was to become emblematic of the light and frivolous nature of French painting at the time. However, it was Fragonard's “The Swing” in the Wallace collection that was to go down in history as the most famous image of this type. The lightness of the “gout Française” also finds itself reflected impressively in Watteau's version of the motif. In this drawing he uses short, delicate and airy red chalk strokes, at times more closely set and at others more dispersed, to render the forms of his composition to the viewer. These stylistic elements speak for an early date.