The mesmerizing painting, ‘A Young Girl Reading,’ created by the talented French artist Jean-Honoré Fragonard around 1770, depicts an enchanting scene. The unidentified young woman in the portrait is adorned in a vibrant saffron-yellow dress with a delicate white ruff, collar, and cuffs. Lavender ribbons add a touch of elegance to her ensemble, accentuating her bodice, neck, and hair. Engrossed in her reading, she holds a small book with reddish gilt edging in her right hand. Her left arm rests on a wooden rail, while a fluffy lilac cushion supports her back against the wall.
You are viewing: A Captivating Portrait: Unveiling the Beauty of ‘A Young Girl Reading’
The young woman’s brown hair, with hints of reddish-gold, is elegantly styled in a smooth chignon, secured with a lilac silk ribbon. Soft illumination from the front gently highlights her face and dress, casting a faint shadow on the wall behind her. Completely absorbed in her reading, the young woman remains oblivious to any onlookers.
The Rococo Color Scheme
Fragonard’s ‘Young Girl Reading’ showcases a typical Rococo color scheme, characterized by soft, delicate hues and shades of gold. The violet tint of the pillow, along with the darker-toned walls and armrest, complements the girl’s rosy-toned skin and vibrant saffron-yellow dress, creating a warm and joyous atmosphere.
According to the National Gallery of Art, “the girl’s dress and cushion are painted with quick and fluid strokes, in broad unblended bands of startling color: saffron, lilac, and magenta. Her fingers are defined by mere swerves of the brush.”
Technique, Texture, and “Swordplay”
Texture plays a vital role in Fragonard’s masterpiece. The artist skillfully employs loose, energetic, and gestural brushstrokes to accentuate the intricate frills in the girl’s dress, enhancing her soft curves and creating a sense of depth. Each element, be it the walls, the dress, or the armrest, possesses a unique texture achieved through various brushstroke techniques.
As described by the National Gallery of Art, “Fragonard scratched her ruffed collar into the surface of the paint. This is the ‘swordplay of the brush’ that Fragonard’s contemporaries described, not always with universal approval.” The artist’s technique involved preparing the support with multiple layers, including a pale-gray layer covered by a fawn-colored layer. The application of the paint was vigorous, with highlights crafted using impasto, while thin washes revealed the partially visible layers beneath. In the girl’s collar and fichu, Fragonard incised into the wet paint to expose the gray layer beneath, creating gray shadowed lines.
Not Portraits, But “Evocations”
During the mid-1760s, the extravagant and excessive Rococo style began to lose favor, gradually replaced by the ideals of Neoclassicism. However, ‘Young Girl Reading’ stood apart, captivating both admirers and critics with its inherent charm and joyful ambiance.
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Although Fragonard revisited the theme of capturing young girls in quiet solitude on several occasions, these paintings are not mere portraits but evocations. Similar to his other “fantasy portraits,” Fragonard’s quick and energetic brushstrokes bring these figures to life. ‘Young Girl Reading’ shares the same brilliant technique as these fantasy portraits, with its emphasis on fleeting moments of beauty, sudden impressions, and profound pleasure.
In Summary
‘Young Girl Reading’ by Fragonard transcends the boundaries of a traditional portrait, with the sitter’s identity remaining unknown. Recent research suggests that it is one of Fragonard’s swiftly executed paintings known as ‘figures defantaisie,’ where his models personify poetry and music. This remarkable artwork, with its focus on fleeting moments of beauty and pleasure, foreshadows the Impressionist movement of the coming century.
As the Google Arts and Culture aptly states, “Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s bravura handling of brushwork and color embodies eighteenth-century painting aesthetics.”
For a closer look at the enchanting details of ‘A Young Girl Reading,’ click here.
Details
- Title: Young Girl Reading
- Creator: Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732 – 1806)
- French, late Rococo
- Date Created: c. 1770
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Object Credit: Gift of Mrs. Mellon Bruce in memory of her father, Andrew W. Mellon
- Dimensions: overall: 81.1 x 64.8 cm (31 15/16 x 25 1/2 in.), framed: 104.9 x 89.5 x 2.2 cm (41 5/16 x 35 1/4 x 7/8 in.)
- External Link: NGA
Sources
- Google Arts and Culture, Young Girl Reading, link (accessed 8 Dec 2018).
- “Jean Honoré Fragonard/Young Girl Reading/c. 1769,” Focus Section – French Paintings of the Eighteenth Century, NGA Online Editions, link (accessed December 08, 2018).
- Wikipedia contributors, “A Young Girl Reading,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, link (accessed June 26, 2022).
Read More
- Young Girl Reading: A Hidden Portrait Revealed
- Fragonard: The Fantasy Figures
- Sketches of Portraits: The Fantasy Figures Identified
- Mapping the Fantasy Figures
- Fragonard’s Biography, Style, and Artworks
- Fragonard Biography at Project Gutenberg (for youth, but suitable for all ages)
- 18th-Century France — Boucher and Fragonard
Audio
- New Discoveries about “Young Girl Reading” by Jean-Honoré Fragonard
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