From 1775 To 1784

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 period saw the rise of some of the most famous names in art history, such as Rembrandt, Rubens, and Velazquez. It was also a time of great political and social upheaval, and many of the artworks of the period reflect the changing world around them.

Virgil's Tomb by Moonlight, with Silius Italicus Declaiming

    The painting is of a site that had long been a popular destination for visitors to Naples.
    The painting depicts the tomb of Virgil, author of the Aeneid.

Boiserie from the Hôtel de Cabris, Grasse

    Commissioned for the new residence of Jean-Paul de Clapiers, marquis de Cabris, in Grasse, this paneling made in Paris is a pure expression of the Neoclassical style.
    Originally the room had five sets of double doors and an equal number of mirrors, achieving a beautiful harmony by the alternation of the carved and gilded panels with the reflective glass surfaces.
    The rounded corners display trophies of musical instruments suspended from bow-tied ribbons.
   Smoking incense burners on tripod stands, a motif derived from classical antiquity, embellish the upper door panels
   The combination of dulled and burnished gilding creates a particularly lively effect

Christ Carrying the Cross, called "The Lord of the Fall"

    This work belongs to the genre of "statue painting," that is, painted simulacra of sacred images.
    As a "true likeness" of a cult image, it was believed to possess the miraculous powers of the original, a sculpture of Christ the Nazarene venerated in the Cusco church of San Francisco.
    The effectiveness of this type of painting depended on its veracity, a demand that led to the depiction not only of sculptures, but the altars and shrines where they were venerated.

A Shaded Avenue

    Fragonard was a gifted landscapist who combined his knowledge of earlier Dutch painting, notably the dramatic light effects and craggy trees of artists like Jacob van Ruisdael, and his experience in Italy, including its formal gardens and ancient ruins.
    He returned repeatedly to the subject of a long alley of overscaled trees that creates a dark tunnel at the end of which a bright light illuminates a figure or, as here, a fountain.

Capriccio with St. Paul's and Old London Bridge

    Joli was a pupil of Paolo Panini in Rome
    He was active as a scene painter in northern Italy and especially in Venice

The Mouth of a Cave

    Robert made six paintings for the comte d'Artois' salle des bains.
    One of the paintings, The Mouth of the Cave, was restored by Robert in 1784.
    The painting was damaged by dampness and Robert restored it.

Portrait of a Woman

    Joseph Wright of Derby was the first major British painter to work almost entirely outside London.
    Most of his patrons were merchants or industrialists from the Midlands or members of the local gentry.

The Cascade