Issued in connection with an exhibition held Sept. 22-Nov. 29, 2009, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Focusing on both the visual and performing arts, Watteau, Music, and Theater explores the rich connections between painting and theater at a time when Louis XIV had reigned in France for some six decades. Jean-Antoine Watteau (French, 16841721) and other early eighteenth-century French artists are central to this time of lush artistry. This volume delves into the fascinating developments in music and theater that took place in Paris after the young Watteau arrived in the vibrant French capital. Framed by an introduction by Pierre Rosenberg de lAcadémie française, Honorary President-Director of the Musée du Louvre, Paris, and a companion essay by Georgia J. Cowart, Watteaus influence on culture and art during this time period is unquestionable. Fifteen major paintings by Watteau and a number of his drawings demonstrate the ways in which the painters vision reflects his involvement with actors, musicians, and the stage. The works discussed range from enchanting single figures to animated assemblages of players from the French and Italian theatrical tradition.

SACFinal081324