Columbine and Harlequin

Date unknown
(French, 1690–1762)
(French, 1684–1721)
Platemark: 51.6 x 32 cm (20 5/16 x 12 5/8 in.)
Catalogue raisonné: Portalis & Beraldi III, part I.211
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location: not on view

Download, Print and Share

Description

Arabesques (decorations with curves and tendrils inspired by plant forms) were in vogue in 18th-century France. Watteau (1684-1721) produced arabesques for the ornamentation of walls, paneling, furniture, and ceilings. He depicted popular motifs, such as the elegant courtship in an idyllic outdoor setting pictured in The Gallant, shown nearby, or as in Columbine and Harlequin, two characters from productions of the Commedia dell'arte, an Italian comic theater. Watteau launched a trend for the exotic scenes found on imported Chinese porcelains and lacquer ware about 1707. The parasol in The Gallant, and the Asian face that smiles down from the top of Columbine and Harlequin, are examples of chinoiserie, the playful imitation of Chinese art.
Columbine and Harlequin

Columbine and Harlequin

Date unknown

Jean Moyreau, Jean Antoine Watteau

(French, 1690–1762), (French, 1684–1721)
France, 18th century

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.