Four sketches for 'Fêtes Galantes' on one sheet

Watteau, Jean-Antoine

Summary

A reproduction produced by the Vasari Society of a drawing by Jean-Antoine Watteau. The drawing is in red chalk, and shows four groups of people, all in outdoor settings, on one sheet. The drawing in the top-left corner shows a man and a woman, evidently a couple, standing together, whilst another man and woman sit on the ground beneath a tree. The top-right corner shows two ladies sitting at the base of a tree, whilst a man dances in front of them for their entertainment, with his arms in the air. The bottom-left corner shows a seated lady, with two men apparently vying for her attention. The final drawing, in the bottom-right corner, shows a man and a woman playing musical instruments, next to another seated couple. Text from the accompanying booklet produced by the Vasari Society: "25. ANTOINE WATTEAU (b. 1684; d. 1721) FOUR SKETCHES FOR FÊTES GALANTES ON ONE SHEET Collection of the Duke of Devonshire, K.G., Chatsworth. Red chalk, 20.6 x 32.5 cm. (8 1/8 x 12 13/16 in.). This is one of a group of four large drawings with numerous groups of men and women in sanguine attributed at Chatsworth to Watteau. There are some weak points about the specimen here reproduced, especially in the drawing of the hands; but the drawings are more probably of the early period of Watteau than works by one of his pupils or imitators. These groups do not occur in the engraved work of Watteau. C. D."