“Playground at St. Lazare’s Prison” is an oil painting created by Hubert Robert in 1794. The artwork is part of the Rococo art movement and falls under the genre of genre painting.
The artwork depicts a scene within the courtyard of St. Lazare’s Prison. Numerous figures are depicted engaging in various activities across the expansive yard. The setting is framed by the imposing architectural structure of the prison building in the background, with multiple windows from which individuals appear to be observing the courtyard below. The atmosphere is set under a vast, subtly meteorological sky bathed in soft light, indicative of the Rococo style’s emphasis on light and color. The lush greenery visible to the left side of the painting provides a stark contrast to the rigid architecture of the prison, enhancing the painting’s narrative complexity.
