Analysis Of The Progress Of Love By Jean-Honore Fragonard
Jean-Honore Fragonard is a French rococo painter who was commissioned by Madame du Barry, the official mistress of Louis XV to paint four paintings to display at her new pavilion in the garden of her Chateau de Louveciennes. In, the early 1770s it was the masterpiece, “The Progress of Love”. Four large paintings - The Pursuit, The Love Crowned, The Meeting, and Love Letters. These paintings consist of lovers in four stages of their love story. Although, Madame du Barry rejected the paintings and replaced them with a Neoclassical series by Joseph Marie Vien.
Beginning with the Pursuit, a young man leans toward her giving a rose while she seems to be shifting. There are two chaperones who seem to be holding her back from falling. She seems to be in a rush heading somewhere. In the background, the sculpture of the two putti and dolphins are holding back on the waterfall. Both the figures and sculpture are doing the same movement. The sculpture indicates the maiden holding their desire back. Background consists of cool colors and is dull. The girls’ are highlighted by the warm sunlight in the garden.
Following The Pursuit, is The Lover Crowned where the girl crowns her lover with roses. The lovers are enjoying their time playing, listening to music while a young artist is painting them in theatrical costumes. It seems as if the young artist displayed them in such setting to show their affection to each other. The lover sits near her knees and holds on to her hand in a hasty way. She is looking away while he looks up at her passionately. The lovers are filled with warm bright colors which make them stand out from the garden. The garden is flourished with flowers, and oranges. There’s a myrtle tree which symbolizes “love”. You can feel emotions going on between them. The sculpture of cupid has fallen asleep, while the lovers enjoy themselves with no distraction.
Following the Lover Crowned, is The Meeting where the lover rushes down the wall of garden. The lovers are looking to see if there is someone around they are not aware of. As, if they heard something. The lover has the yellow gown under his hand, one knee on the wall and one leg on the stairs as if he is heading down. After their time together, it seemed as they got interrupted and he rushed while the girl looks around. The lover took the gown because the girl’s family will be curious, suspicious on where she got it from. The sculpture which is Venus, the goddess of love holding the arrows away from the cupid. Also, it’s as if Venus is looking the same way they are. As, it’s not the right moment to send the arrows to the lovers.
Still holding back. Following The Meeting, is Love Letters where both lovers reunite again and reminisce on the past. They are relaxed, happy and full of love. The girl is sitting with the letters around her and her lover is standing leaning on her shoulder with his arm around her waist. He still looks at her face passionately when reading the letters just as he gazed her when she was crowning him with roses. The garden and surrounding is calmed, very pleasing. The dog in the bottom symbolizes fidelity, their loyalty to each other. Above, the lovers there is a sculpture of a woman and a putto trying to reach the heart near her breast. Their love will end in a long-lasting friendship. Once the heart was given it remained, having a sign of friendship.
