Sep 16, 2010

The Guitarist

The Guitarist

1720s

Jean-Baptiste Pater

(French, 1695–1736)

Red chalk

Dudley P. Allen Fund 1933.416

Location

Did you know?

Jean-Baptiste Pater worried excessively about his finances and made a prolific number of artworks as a result, with the intention of selling them.

Description

Like his illustrious master, Watteau, Jean-Baptiste Pater specialized in fêtes galantes, paintings that featured elegantly attired men and women in bucolic settings engaged in decorously amorous play. Also like his teacher, Pater worked out his preliminary ideas in red chalk studies. During the 17th century, guitar virtuosos from Italy and Spain made their way to the court of Louis XIV, and by the 18th century, the instrument had become integrated into French culture of gallantry and featured prominently in fêtes galantes.

See also
Collection: 
DR - French
Department: 
Drawings
Type of artwork: 
Drawing
Medium: 
Red chalk
Credit line: 
Dudley P. Allen Fund

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