Jean-Honoré Fragonard was a French Rococo painter whose lighthearted scenes of love and leisure epitomize the period’s charm. Born near Grasse, he trained under François Boucher and won... View More

Jean-Honoré Fragonard was a French Rococo painter whose lighthearted scenes of love and leisure epitomize the period’s charm. Born near Grasse, he trained under François Boucher and won the Prix de Rome, though he preferred Parisian salons to classical study.

Fragonard’s signature works—The Swing, The Progress of Love—feature delicate brushwork, pastel tones, and playful compositions imbued with sensuality. His portrayals of aristocratic romance and whimsical garden fantasies captured the pre-Revolutionary spirit of joie de vivre.

After the Revolution, Fragonard’s fortunes declined, but he continued painting portraits and genre scenes for private patrons. His exuberant style and technical virtuosity have made him a lasting icon of Rococo elegance.