Nicolas Lancret's Dance Before A Fountain

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Nicolas Lancret’s Dance before a Fountain (1730-1735) is currently displayed at The Getty Center in Los Angeles. The oil on canvas painting captures a scene of a party in the early 1700’s. Lancret’s painting, known as a fête galante, a French term referring to an elegant, festive outdoor celebration or some sort of activity usually put on by rich aristocracy in the 18th century. Such paintings were significant at the time because they were apart of the Rococo, or Late Baroque, period in which the European arts focused more on affection, emotion, and luxury rather than the influence and dominance of the church. The green trees and rural landscape portray a beautiful spring day filled with nature and life. The rhythm of the water splashing, …show more content…

There the children are playing and the drunken guitar player is serenading the mother of the children. With alcohol flowing through his blood, he happily sings songs and flirts with woman dressed in gold. Instead of paying attention to the treasures of jewelry the young girl in green offers, she chooses to be wooed by the intoxicated man as she stares deeply into the man’s eyes. I also noticed a lesbian couple embracing and dancing. The woman in the red hat and red dress embraces her girlfriend from behind as they gaze into one another’s eyes with passion. The woman from behind grabs her girlfriend’s left breast and firmly holds her waist with her other hand affectionately. As the woman in green pivots her body to face her girlfriend, perhaps they begin to join the dancing. Maybe this event was their only chance to see one another and show affection towards one another without being …show more content…

The different tones of green, brown, blue, white, red, pink, and orange are used throughout the piece to represent the theme of spring and life. Lancret’s smooth and liquefied brushstroke adds hints of sparkles and glistening aspects that catch the viewers’ eye. The highlights are particularly found in the attire of the individuals. Lancret maybe wanted to make their outfits look expensive because these people are wealthy. He probably chose to use a simple and subtle background to allow the audience to focus more on the wealthy individuals rather than the scenery behind them. The use of light colors rather than dark set the mood for a beautiful celebration outdoors. The light from the sky, vibrant clothing, merry dancing, and flowing water, reflect a happy and carefree

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