Wattaeu at Work - "La Surprise"

The Getty Museum acquired the painting La Surprise by Jean Antoine Watteau in 2017. It is a fete galante work that depicts a graceful open-air gathering filled with scenes of courtship, music, and dance. This painting is considered to be the artist's masterpiece and is the subject of a dedicated publication to mark the three hundredth anniversary of Watteau's death.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 88 pages
Publication date: 14 December 2021
Publisher: Getty Trust Publications

Jean Antoine Watteau's renowned painting, La Surprise, is a remarkable masterpiece that belongs to a unique genre he himself pioneered: the fete galante. These captivating works depict elegant outdoor gatherings, brimming with scenes of courtship, music, dance, lovers strolling hand in hand, and actors performing. Rather than narrating a specific story, they evoke a mood of playful, wistful, and nostalgic reverie. During Watteau's time, collectors held La Surprise in high esteem, considering it a testament to the artist's unparalleled skill and success. However, it disappeared from public view in 1848 and remained hidden for over a century and a half. In 2017, the Getty Museum acquired La Surprise, marking the three hundredth anniversary of Watteau's passing. This book delves into the significance of La Surprise within Watteau's artistic oeuvre and explores the intriguing history of collecting Watteau in Los Angeles.

Jean Antoine Watteau's La Surprise is a remarkable masterpiece that belongs to a unique genre he himself pioneered: the fete galante. These captivating works depict elegant outdoor gatherings, brimming with scenes of courtship, music, dance, lovers strolling hand in hand, and actors performing. Rather than narrating a specific story, they evoke a mood of playful, wistful, and nostalgic reverie. During Watteau's time, collectors held La Surprise in high esteem, considering it a testament to the artist's unparalleled skill and success. However, it disappeared from public view in 1848 and remained hidden for over a century and a half. In 2017, the Getty Museum acquired La Surprise, marking the three hundredth anniversary of Watteau's passing. This book delves into the significance of La Surprise within Watteau's artistic oeuvre and explores the intriguing history of collecting Watteau in Los Angeles.

Weight: 330g
Dimension: 187 x 219 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781606067352