Jean-Antoine Watteau’s Le Faux Pas (1719) is a north European artwork that is heavily inspired by Peter Paul Rubens’s work, The Village Fête. In addition to the influence of Rubens’ painting, Wat belonging sought to portray The Departing Regiment in its own right. This painting demonstrates Watteau’s regard for painting in his second and more personal manner.
The curving lines throughout the painting depict the movement and movement of the figures. They bring energy as well as a sense of passion to the traditional figures of Northern European Artwork. Although this is an example of the Baroque style of art, it is almost an early form of Impressionism, as it captures such subtleties as light and shadow with great skill.
This stunning oil on canvas exemplifies Jean-Antoine Watteau’s mastery over artistry and technique, blending together many different aspects from northern European works into one beautiful composition. By leveraging the influence of famous works such as Ruben’s The Village Fête, Watteau has created something truly spectacular that depects The Departing Regiment in its own right. Furthermore, he has captured emotion and gave life to his characters by setting them on a stage within the confines of the French Rococo period – a perfect backdrop for them to project their inner thoughts and feelings.
Another noteworthy art piece by Jean-Antoine Watteau from this time period is Gersaint’s Shopsign – painted in 1721 – which illustrates rich colors and evocative imagery depicting everyday people at rest or in play-times activities. This oil on canvas provides further testament to his genius with having brought out an essence within north european artworks that showoff his unique skill set and extraordinary eye for beauty within these genres.
