Such licentious beauty always for mistresses, never for wive скачать в хорошем качестве

Such licentious beauty always for mistresses, never for wive

This painting has an incredibly romantic feel. A noblewoman in a pink dress is swinging in mid-air, her smile playful, and one of her shoes has even flown off her foot. In the lower left corner of the painting, a young man is half reclining in the grass, peeking up under her skirt. These two are lovers. Meanwhile, in the back right of the scene, an older man is pushing the swing. He is widely believed to be the noblewoman’s husband, or perhaps her guardian, completely unaware of the affair. The painting is titled The Swing, created in 1767 by French Rococo painter Jean Honoré Fragonard. The story behind its creation is rather amusing. It all began with an anonymous French aristocrat who wanted to commission a painting. At first, he approached another painter, Gabriel-François Doyen, with a very specific request: “Paint my lover on a swing. Make her skirt fly up. Place me hidden in the bushes, looking up under her skirt. Oh, and there should be someone pushing the swing. Maybe a priest?” This storyline was far too risqué. Doyen was appalled. He painted serious court paintings and had even won prizes at the Salon. How could he paint something like this? He immediately declined the commission, but recommended Fragonard instead. As it happened, Fragonard was feeling frustrated at the time. His serious court paintings weren’t very popular, and clients often delayed payments. So he was thinking of switching up his style and creating what we’d now call viral art. This commission came at the perfect time. Fragonard wanted to go viral, but not be too outrageous. He suggested to the aristocrat, “Let’s not make the person pushing the swing a priest. Let’s change him into an old man.” And thus, this luxurious, romantic, and sensual painting was born. The painting is filled with double meanings and symbolic details. For instance, the flying shoe suggests indulgence and abandon. On the small hill stands a statue of a cherub with a finger pressed to its lips, a gesture that implies secrecy. The lush, ornate foliage surrounding the scene adds a sense of concealment and dreaminess—mysterious and intriguing. The Swing quickly became an iconic work and a pinnacle of Rococo style. It also established Fragonard’s reputation as a master painter. But after gazing at the painting for some time, we might start to wonder: Is that sweetly smiling woman truly free? The lover in the painting, the aristocrat hiding below, gazing up at her skirt—is he seeing love, or just an illusion? Is the swinging motion a symbol of joyful freedom, or of emotional instability? The man pushing the swing—his situation is surprisingly common even today. It reminds me of a story involving a comedian whose manager had been secretly having an affair with his wife. It only came to light much later. Even now, there are still many people out there cheerfully pushing others into doing things that betray them. ------------- Enjoy masterpieces from global collections, to feel the pulse of a world in constant flux. On a journey through life, add some nourishment to the trip; Start with masterpieces so that your trip is more than just a superficial visit. If you like it, give it a thumbs-up and subscribe to follow my collections and lists, you'll discover hidden gems that can enrich your itinerary. If you have a destination or specific work you'd like to see or learn about, feel free to leave a comment, and I will do my best to introduce it to you. ------------- #TheSwing #Licentiousness #Rococo #18thCenturyFrance #Lovers #SecretAffair #Fragonard #Nobility #DoubleEntendre #FlyingShoe #Symbolism #Voyeurism #Deception #SweetnessAndBetrayal #ArtHistory #HiddenStory #Priest #FrivolousAndRomantic #IconicPainting #NarrativeInArt #worldfamouspaintings #museum #collection #exhibition #art #thought #society #reflection #masterpieceofthemuseum #culture #humanities #literatureandart #philosophyandpainting #painting #fineart #worldheritage #masterpiece #greatwork #famouspainting #artgallery #exhibition #philosophy #zenenlightenment #lifereflections #selfcultivation #humanemotions #raretreasure #nationaltreasure #history #legend #antique #culturalrelic #archaeology