DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68073#0302
276
OLD WORLD MASTERS
case with a new state of society, new styles of fashion came to meet
its requirements. Moreover, the tastes of the Regent—the Due d’Or-
leans—and the young King Louis XV were gay and playful; and,
consequently, they were both glad to see all the traditions of Louis
XIV swept away. The Art nouveau of the period was most graceful
and charming in its early expression. The playful curves and fan-
tastic motifs from the Far East—pagodas, mandarins, umbrellas,
monkeys, little bells, dripping water, and strange, wreathing vines,
were all transmuted by the great decorative artists and designers into
that delicious and delightful French melange known as Chinoiserie,
which is, perhaps, more French than Chinese. The riotous curves,
most of which were derived from the volutes of the shell, the shell
itself, and the dripping water (or hanging icicles), were used so pro-
lifically and so universally that their name rocaille (rock and shell)
or rococo, is almost synonymous with that of the “style Louis Quinze,”
although it does not include all the motifs nor all the spirit of the age.
Watteau was followed in his fascinating portrayal of pastorales
galantes, fetes champetres, and all the light pleasures of society and its
beautifully dressed men and women, by Nicolas Lancret (1690-1743)
and Jean Baptiste Joseph Pater (1695-1736); and to this group
belongs Jean Baptiste Huet (1745-1811), who in his first years fol-
lowed Watteau closely; and as a decorative designer, he also expressed
the taste of the Directoire and Empire period through which he lived.
Of the portrait painters, Jean Marc Nattier (1685-1766) stands first
as Court-Painter and portrayer of lovely ladies in flowing draperies,
rose-colored or blue scarfs, and wreaths and garlands of flowers,
appearing as Hebe, Diana, Flora and other goddesses of Grecian
mythology. Close to him comes Maurice Quentin de la Tour (1704-
1788), who early abandoned oil-painting for pastels (his master-
piece, the portrait of Madame de Pompadour is now in the Louvre),
was called a magician by Diderot and his work is described by de Gon-
court as “a magic mirror, in which is seen all the talent, all the glory,
all the wit, and all the grace of the reign of Louis XV.”
Carle Van Loo (1705-1765) is another portrait-painter of delicate
and distinguished taste and performance. Francois Hubert Drouais
OLD WORLD MASTERS
case with a new state of society, new styles of fashion came to meet
its requirements. Moreover, the tastes of the Regent—the Due d’Or-
leans—and the young King Louis XV were gay and playful; and,
consequently, they were both glad to see all the traditions of Louis
XIV swept away. The Art nouveau of the period was most graceful
and charming in its early expression. The playful curves and fan-
tastic motifs from the Far East—pagodas, mandarins, umbrellas,
monkeys, little bells, dripping water, and strange, wreathing vines,
were all transmuted by the great decorative artists and designers into
that delicious and delightful French melange known as Chinoiserie,
which is, perhaps, more French than Chinese. The riotous curves,
most of which were derived from the volutes of the shell, the shell
itself, and the dripping water (or hanging icicles), were used so pro-
lifically and so universally that their name rocaille (rock and shell)
or rococo, is almost synonymous with that of the “style Louis Quinze,”
although it does not include all the motifs nor all the spirit of the age.
Watteau was followed in his fascinating portrayal of pastorales
galantes, fetes champetres, and all the light pleasures of society and its
beautifully dressed men and women, by Nicolas Lancret (1690-1743)
and Jean Baptiste Joseph Pater (1695-1736); and to this group
belongs Jean Baptiste Huet (1745-1811), who in his first years fol-
lowed Watteau closely; and as a decorative designer, he also expressed
the taste of the Directoire and Empire period through which he lived.
Of the portrait painters, Jean Marc Nattier (1685-1766) stands first
as Court-Painter and portrayer of lovely ladies in flowing draperies,
rose-colored or blue scarfs, and wreaths and garlands of flowers,
appearing as Hebe, Diana, Flora and other goddesses of Grecian
mythology. Close to him comes Maurice Quentin de la Tour (1704-
1788), who early abandoned oil-painting for pastels (his master-
piece, the portrait of Madame de Pompadour is now in the Louvre),
was called a magician by Diderot and his work is described by de Gon-
court as “a magic mirror, in which is seen all the talent, all the glory,
all the wit, and all the grace of the reign of Louis XV.”
Carle Van Loo (1705-1765) is another portrait-painter of delicate
and distinguished taste and performance. Francois Hubert Drouais