Natalie Kampf Sensual and erotic, The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard depicts the Rococo lifestyle; It is widely believed to have been commissioned by the famed libertine Baron de St. Julien, as a portrait of his mistress [4], In correspondence to popular beliefs, St. Julien very specifically requested that he would like his mistress seated upon a swing being pushed by someone of the clergy [4]. This conceptualized image was turned down by many painters, yet Fragonard, in his ‘bad-boy’ style, jumped at the opportunity to paint one of the most iconic works of the French Rococo. Rococo’s linguistic vibrancy alludes to the style it encompasses. The technique was derived from the French decorative style: “Racaille” meaning ‘decorative shell and rock work’ [5]. Interpreted as embodying, through its sinuous lines, a spirit of liberation. When compared to other styles, Rococo has been referenced as the ‘ultimate phase of the baroque’, [5]. It has been alluded to, by Monsieur de Talleyrand, a French diplomat, that the entire 18th century dreamt of happiness, “those who have not lived before 1789 do not know how sweet life can be” [5]. Fragonard took to the Rococo style in its later stages that are characterized by hedonistic freedom and “the pursuit of all things aesthetically pleasing” [5]. Figure 1 This 'bad-boy' embodiment comes from the progression of Fragonard’s rebellion. Beginning in his early training in Paris, in the studio of Francois Boucher, and his training in the French Academy in Rome he pursued the genre of history painting [2]. Yet as he progressed, Fragonard worked to gain the freedom as an artist through acts of defiance that were enabled by a new culture of collecting, which in turn let him choose his own subject matter and format in which he painted. Furthermore, all of this coincided with his return to the Capital of France as well as his leaving of the official arts establishment [2][3]. The revolution he created and his mysterious style began with many of his paper works, yet continued into his other pieces. Displayed in the Wallace Collection, in London, England, Fragonard’s, The Swing, is surrounded by “an array of European oil paintings from the fourteenth to the mid-nineteenth century” [6]. While located in a smaller collection, The Swing is accompanied by artists like Boucher and Watteau; the collection of French 18th century paintings is one of the best in the world [6]. An abundance of symbolism in Fragonard’s, The Swing, gives light to his playful style and joyful ambiance of French Rococo painting [figure 1]. In the foreground of the image, presumably, St. Julien is shown laying in the shrubbery as he reaches his hand out towards the mistress’s skirt that is bellowing in the air [figure 2] [4]. The relaxed and cheerful nature suggest the voyeurism in his demeanor. Figure 2 As the eye moves towards the light in the painting, the shoe of the mistress is flying off, and it suggests the eroticism within the airy painting, and quite possibly the allusion of an affair [figure 3 + 4]. While the foreground is illuminated, looking to the background there is a shadowed figure, plain in clothing, and not resembling a man of the clergy as requested [Figure 5]. This figure is questioned of being the mistress’s husband – somber in lighting and figuratively playing a lesser role in her life. Figure 3 The objects that surround the painting, specifically the two Putti below the woman appear concerned by the actions above them [Figure 6]. To the left of the Putti a statue of cupid is shown putting a finger up to his lips in representation of the secrecy of this blissful scene [Figure 7]. Figure 4 The lustful strokes that encompass the canvas of The Swing allude to the risqué genre in which Fragonard painted. An emphasis is placed on the free nature of the subject, and the fluid and loose brushstrokes maintain the softness of the image, yet with more detail in comparison to many of his other works. Through the brushstrokes, the use of a pastel color palette with juicy pinks, minty greens and creamy whites, appeal to the sensuality of the image. The warm and cool tones of the palette, cast in the shadows and the mistress’s pink dress help create the story and emotion for the viewer, that Fragonard has left as an uncertainty. The mood of the painting embraces the feeling of the French Rococo style by being lighthearted and joyous while creating this engagingly naughty scene. Figure 7 Figure 8 The impact in which Fragonard’s rebellious attitude has resonated with the art culture is evident in works that aim to paraphrase his. The Swing (after Fragonard) by Yinka Shonibare, 2001, was installed at the Tate in London, England and depicts a modern take on the iconic 18th century painting [Figure 8] [7]. The installation presents a “life-size headless female mannequin extravagantly attired in a dress in 18th century style made of bright African print fabric, reclines on a swing suspended from a verdant branch attached to the gallery ceiling” [7]. Similar to the painting, the figure is static and beneath the figure a flowering vine hangs down to the floor, while the figure’s left leg stretches out in front of her causing her skirt to ride up, and it appears as though she had just kicked off her shoe [Figure 9]. Figure 9
While Shonibare preserves much of what Fragonard has depicted in his image, he re-creates this scene with minimal elements, seamlessly. It is noted that the woman is dressed in African print fabric, which is said to represent a “different kind of decorative opulence from Fragonard’s silk and lace” [7]. As stated by the Tate Museum, it was the artist’s intention that the piece be viewed straight on, with the figure seen from the same angle Fragonard depicted [7]. Yet, because this piece is 3-Dimensional, the viewer has the ability to walk around it and place themselves into the scene in many different ways. The sensuality of Fragonard’s original piece is preserved in the figure by Shonibare in many different ways. The luxuriousness of clothing and lavish gesture created by the swing and branches upholds the same grandeur that the Rococo brought to 18th century France. Though the fabrics and textiles may differ in execution, the feeling of sensuality is retained. Shonibare, a London native, grew up in both the UK and Nigeria. He distinguishes the fabrics that he chooses to use as a symbol of his multi-cultural identity [6]. He describes The Swing (after Fragonard) as suggesting the “idea of pure or authentic identity based on traditional notions of nationality, race or class is as anachronistic as a corset and bustle” [6]. Shoniebare’s unique choice of fabric and textiles that serve as connection to his life, resembles the way in which Fragonard paints; defiant of what others expected of him and true to himself. The ambiance in which Fragonard creates through his painting, The Swing, carefully uses the textures and colors of the Rococo time period to display a sensual image full of joy and mystery. Allusive in character, Fragonard portrays this flighty attitude in his work, leaving the art world questioning what the exact details are. Similar to the mystery of the painting, the image itself creates an intriguing atmosphere leaving the viewer wanting more. This exemplary piece of work is one of kind, though artists attempt to embody the spirit through their own creations. References [1] Bailey, Colin B. Fragonard's Progress of Love at The Frick Collection. [2] "Fragonard: Drawing Triumphant-Works from New York Collections." Fragonard: Drawing Triumphant-Works from New York Collections | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed May 2017. http://www.metmuseum.org/press/exhibitions/2016/fragonard. [3] Rosenberg, Karen. "Rococo Bad Boy Rebels in 'Fragonard: Drawing Triumphant'" The New York Times.November,03,2016.Accessed-May,2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/04/arts/design/rococo-bad-boy-rebels-in-fragonard-drawing-triumphant.html?_r=0 [4] "The Swing." Artble. June 12, 2015. Accessed May 2017. http://www.artble.com/artists/jean-honore_fragonard/paintings/the_swing. [5] Saisselin, Remy G. "The Rococo as a Dream of Happiness." The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 19, no. 2 (1960): 145-52. doi:10.2307/428280. [6] The Wallace Collection - The Collection - Pictures & Miniatures. Accessed May 2017. http://www.wallacecollection.org/thecollection/collections/picturesandminiatures [7] Tate. "The Swing (after Fragonard), Yinka Shonibare, MBE 2001." Tate. Accessed May 2017. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/shonibare-the-swing-after-fragonard-t07952.
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