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From 1703 To 1739

4 min read
From 1703 To 1739

The 18th century was a time of great change in the world of art. New styles and movements emerged, and artists began to experiment with new techniques and materials. This century saw the rise of the Rococo style, as well as the emergence of Neoclassicism. Artists such as Francois Boucher and Jean-Honore Fragonard were among the most famous of the Rococo painters, while Jacques-Louis David was one of the most notable Neoclassical artists.

Sir James Dashwood (1715–1779)

German, Danzig ca. 1690–1744 London / The Met

    Sir James Dashwood, here depicted at age twenty-three, devoted much of his energy and most of his fortune to the building and furnishing of Kirtlington Park, visible in the right background of this painting.
    The dining room from Kirtlington Park, with its masterful plasterwork decoration, is installed nearby.
    Sir James Dashwood was a British politician.

The Wrathful Protector Mahakala, Tantric Protective Form of Avalokiteshvara

Asian Art / The Met

    The ferocious aspect of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, Mahakala is shown in a flaming aureole, his six hands holding his horrific ritual implements.
    Attending Mahakala are four yaksha "ministers" in red and blue, and below they ride a bear and a horse and flank the protector goddess Palden Lhamo on her donkey.
    The celestial Buddha Amitabha presides, flanked by mahasiddhas and Gelugpa patriarchs.

The Wedding of Stephen Beckingham and Mary Cox

British, London 1697–1764 London / The Met

    This is an essay in the fashionable genre of the conversation piece, a type of group portrait.
    The setting is based on the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square, not the actual church where the wedding took place.

The Declaration of Love

French, Paris 1679–1752 Rome / The Met

    These celebrated pendants exemplify a genre of painting known as tableaux de mode (paintings of fashionable society) established by de Troy.
    Rejecting religious or mythological subjects, artists represented the latest interior decoration, clothing, etiquette, and social mores.

The Baptism of Christ

Italian, Belluno 1659–1734 Venice / The Met

    An artist of international reputation, Ricci left for England in 1711 or 1712.
    This fine oil sketch is for the now lost decoration of a wall in the Duke of Portland's chapel at Bulstrode House, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire.
    The facing wall showed the Last Supper and the ceiling, the Ascension.
    In 1733 George Vertue praised Ricci's work in the chapel:"the whole a noble, free invention [with] great force of lights and shade, with variety and freedom in the composition of the parts."

Plate with landscape of the West Lake

Asian Art / The Met

    This plate depicts one of the most famous scenic spots in China:Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (Santan Yinyue) in Hangzhou's West Lake.
    The principal décor on this plate is a painting, calligraphy, and poetry.
    The plate is further embellished with a poem on this scenic spot by the sixteenth-century poet Yang Zhou.

An Allegory

Italian, Genoese, 1668–1746 / The Met

    The fantastical subject of this painting has eluded scholars.
    The woman holding dividers over an open book with diagrams has been identified as Circe or Melissa, but is probably a more generic sorceress surrounded by symbols of her dark magic:skulls, a bat, and a chimera (a fantastical winged creature).
    The representation in the left foreground of a coati, a member of the raccoon family native to South America, is unique in early modern painting and was probably based on an animal living in a private zoo in Genoa.

Set of wine cups with flowers of the twelve months

From 14th Century To 15th Century

From 14th Century To 15th Century

During the 14th and 15th centuries, artists in Europe began to break away from the traditional Gothic style. They began to experiment with new techniques and styles, resulting in a period of great creativity and innovation in the arts. Some of the most famous artworks from this period include the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, and the sculptures of Donatello. Box with Romance Scenes     This coffret illustrated with scenes from Arthurian and other courtly literature of the M
-5 min read
From 1819 To 1826

From 1819 To 1826

The 19th century was a time of great change in the world of art. Artists began to experiment with new styles and media, and the art world was forever changed as a result. Some of the most famous artists of the time include Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Pablo Picasso. The Falls of Niagara     The painting is of Niagara Falls from the Canadian side.     The painting is based on a vignette of the falls from a map of North America published by Henry S. Tanner in 1822. Heroic Landscape w
-4 min read
From 1787 To 1800

From 1787 To 1800

The 18th century was a time of great change in the world of art. New styles and genres emerged, and artists began to experiment with new techniques and materials. The art of the 18th century reflected the changing times, and the growing interest in the natural world and the human form. Elizabeth Farren (born about 1759, died 1829), Later Countess of Derby     The Irish actress Elizabeth Farren made her London debut in 1777 and soon became one of the most popular comic performers of the day.  
-5 min read