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Study for “The Romancer” (Le Conteur)
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This sheet was a preparatory study for the painting <em>The Romancer</em>. An actor in the costume of Mezzetin, a stock character of the commedia dell’arte (a type of satirical theatrical entertainment of Italian origin popular in aristocratic circles in 18th-century France), interrupts a guitarist with a bold sexual advance. Another actor dressed as the French pantomime stock character Pierrot peers lasciviously over the young musician’s shoulder. A more detailed study of Pierrot’s head occupies the upper left corner of the sheet, demonstrating Jean Antoine Watteau’s experimentation with how to most effectively depict a lecherous gaze.
| Artist / Maker | Jean-Antoine Watteau |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1716 |
| Culture / Origin | France |
| Medium | red chalk; red and black chalk (upper left figure) |
| Dimensions | Sheet: 35 x 27.5 cm (13 3/4 x 10 13/16 in.); Secondary Support: 35.1 x 27.8 cm (13 13/16 x 10 15/16 in.) |
| Department | Drawings |
| Type | Drawing |
About the Artist
Jean-Antoine Watteau (French, 1684–1721) Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
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