Like his father before him, Francois-Louis-Joseph Watteau was known as "Watteau of Lille" ("Watteau de Lille"). Lille was not only the birthplace of the artist but also the location of an art scene dominated by the Watteaus.
Watteau is considered one of the most talented painters of the French Rococo or "late Baroque" period. As in Watteau's works, this style is characterized by its lightness, which often leads to playfulness - in Watteau's case, however, this is sometimes combined with more difficult and sometimes political themes.
Francois-Louis-Joseph Watteau came from a family of provincial painters and constructors. His uncle was the well-known painter Jean Antoine Watteau, one of the coriphae of the Baroque and creator of a completely new pictorial world that quickly established itself on the French art scene: the so-called "fête galantes" ("galant festival"). This is a category of pictures that often depict romantic landscapes and couples in love, shepherds or elegant ladies in courtly dress. From 1808 until his death in 1823, Francois Louis Joseph Watteau was deputy curator of the Palais des Beaux-Arts in his native Lille. His father was also involved in the founding of the museum, which is one of the largest in France, and put together the first exhibitions for the institution. The Palais des Beaux-Arts thus became part of Napoleon's project to popularize the arts, a campaign which was in the best hands thanks to the employment of the two Watteaus of Lille.
"The Battle of the Pyramids" is one of the artist's most atmospheric creations. This dark work, rather untypical for the late baroque period, is not only pathetic but also political in its depiction of the French invasion of Egypt under Napoleon. The skilful work with light and colours distinguishes not only darker works like this one, but also Watteau's well-known park landscapes and scenes in greenery, entirely in the style of the "fetes galantes". Skilfully the artist succeeds in depicting especially social scenes in a naturalistic way. This can be seen above all in "Der Antrag in Galanter Gesellschaft im Park". The picture shows a park landscape flooded with light, in the centre of the picture a young lady shaking hands with her admirer in the middle of a gallant, courtly society.
Not much is known about the private life of the artist. Nevertheless, the persona of Watteau de Lille is of great importance, especially for the late baroque and rococo art scene. The Watteau family left a lasting impression - not only on the art scene of Lille but on the entire continent.
Like his father before him, Francois-Louis-Joseph Watteau was known as "Watteau of Lille" ("Watteau de Lille"). Lille was not only the birthplace of the artist but also the location of an art scene dominated by the Watteaus.
Watteau is considered one of the most talented painters of the French Rococo or "late Baroque" period. As in Watteau's works, this style is characterized by its lightness, which often leads to playfulness - in Watteau's case, however, this is sometimes combined with more difficult and sometimes political themes.
Francois-Louis-Joseph Watteau came from a family of provincial painters and constructors. His uncle was the well-known painter Jean Antoine Watteau, one of the coriphae of the Baroque and creator of a completely new pictorial world that quickly established itself on the French art scene: the so-called "fête galantes" ("galant festival"). This is a category of pictures that often depict romantic landscapes and couples in love, shepherds or elegant ladies in courtly dress. From 1808 until his death in 1823, Francois Louis Joseph Watteau was deputy curator of the Palais des Beaux-Arts in his native Lille. His father was also involved in the founding of the museum, which is one of the largest in France, and put together the first exhibitions for the institution. The Palais des Beaux-Arts thus became part of Napoleon's project to popularize the arts, a campaign which was in the best hands thanks to the employment of the two Watteaus of Lille.
"The Battle of the Pyramids" is one of the artist's most atmospheric creations. This dark work, rather untypical for the late baroque period, is not only pathetic but also political in its depiction of the French invasion of Egypt under Napoleon. The skilful work with light and colours distinguishes not only darker works like this one, but also Watteau's well-known park landscapes and scenes in greenery, entirely in the style of the "fetes galantes". Skilfully the artist succeeds in depicting especially social scenes in a naturalistic way. This can be seen above all in "Der Antrag in Galanter Gesellschaft im Park". The picture shows a park landscape flooded with light, in the centre of the picture a young lady shaking hands with her admirer in the middle of a gallant, courtly society.
Not much is known about the private life of the artist. Nevertheless, the persona of Watteau de Lille is of great importance, especially for the late baroque and rococo art scene. The Watteau family left a lasting impression - not only on the art scene of Lille but on the entire continent.
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