Antoine Watteau 1684-1721 (Basic Art) (Paperback)

by Iris Lauterbach (Author)

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Product Description
Best known for his fetes galantes such as the famous Pelerinage a l'ile de Cythere, Antoine Watteau (1684-1721) was a major proponent in the revival of the Baroque style and the formation of the Rococo movement. Watteau was inspired by the theater and in particular the commedia dell'arte, hence elaborately costumed actors, dancers, and musicians were recurrent subjects; he was also fond of bucolic scenes and portraiture. Infused with romance, drama, and joie de vivre, Watteau's paintings depict a idyllic world of pleasure and entertainment.Every book in "Taschen's Basic Art Series" features: a detailed chronological summary of the artist's life and work, covering the cultural and historical importance of the artist; approximately 100 color illustrations with explanatory captions; and, a concise biography.

About the Author
Iris Lauterbach studied art history and Romance philology and gained her doctorate in 1985. Since 1991 she is at the Research Department of the Zentralinstitut fur Kunstgeschichte in Munich and teaches history of garden architecture at the Technical University Munich. Her primary fields of research include the French 18th century and the history of European garden art from the 16th to the early 19th century.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Taschen (June 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822853186
• ISBN-13: 978-3822853184
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #902,314 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Lovely Introduction, September 21, 2008

By	Steve Malley - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The 1700's were a fun and frothy time for French painting, but Boucher, Fragonard and Watteau are a bit out of fashion these days. Too fun, too frothy, too frilly, too flirty.

But man, what we're missing: Antoine Watteau's work is a window into a world of courtship and flirtation, where the skirts billow and the corsets cling, and every day is a good time for a picnic.

And the paint. These guys knew how to handle them some paint! Gorgeous, lush, technically masterful... It takes some serious skill to do justice to fun, frivolity and women without many clothes on!

Buy this book and imagine the world that might have been...