Jean-Antoine Watteau

Born in 1684 in Valenciennes, a town recently ceded to France, Watteau grew up with Flemish influences and began his career sketching street charlatans, developing his keen observational skills.¹

Around 1705, he became an assistant to Claude Gillot, where he was introduced to the world of commedia dell'arte, sparking a lifelong passion for theatrical subjects in his art.¹

In 1717, he submitted 'The Pilgrimage to Cythera' as his reception piece for the Academy, which created the new category of 'fête galante' specifically to accommodate his work.¹

Polish Woman

His final masterpiece, 'The Shop-sign of Gersaint,' was painted in just eight days to 'warm up his fingers,' serving as a brilliant meditation on art and urban life.¹

Watteau died of tuberculosis in 1721 at age 36. In his final days, he was said to be semi-conscious, clutching a brush and painting imaginary pictures in the air.¹