The artwork titled “Sitting Couple” by Antoine Watteau, created around the year 1716, is a notable example from the Rococo art movement. Executed with chalk on paper, this sketch and study piece measures 24.1 x 34.9 cm and is currently housed at the Hammer Museum, located within the University of California in Los Angeles, California, USA.
The artwork depicts a couple in a dynamic yet tender moment. The figure on the left reclines and reaches out toward the seated figure on the right, whose attention appears directed away. Watteau’s masterful use of chalk highlights the delicate details of their garments and the subtle expressions on their faces, typical of the Rococo style’s emphasis on elegance and intricate detail. The simplicity of the background draws the viewer’s focus to the interaction between the figures, rendering the piece both intimate and engaging.
