The Tiger Hunt

Nicolas Lancret prints bring the dances, swings, picnics and flirtations of 18th-century France into your home. Lancret was a leading Rococo painter and a follower of Watteau, whose light-hearted scenes captured the tastes of French society under the Regency and the young Louis XV. Our collection of fine art prints covers his fêtes galantes, theatre and dance scenes, games and pastimes, and his lively figure drawings.

About Nicolas Lancret

Nicolas Lancret was born in Paris on 22 January 1690. His first master was Pierre d'Ulin, but his admiration for Antoine Watteau led him to move to Claude Gillot, who had been Watteau's own teacher; he studied with Gillot in 1712–13. Two of Lancret's pictures shown on the Place Dauphine in Paris were a great success, and it is said they caused a rift with Watteau, who had been complimented on them as if he were the painter.

He was received into the Academy in 1718 and became a much-respected artist, especially among admirers of Watteau. He painted decorations for the Palace of Versailles, his work was popular with Frederick the Great of Prussia, and in 1735 he was made a councillor of the Academy. More than eighty of his paintings were engraved.

Art historians feel his best work came late in life, when his figures became more solid and his scenes more harmonious. His last painting, Family in a Garden, in the National Gallery, London, has been called his masterpiece. He died in Paris on 14 September 1743.

Style and Subjects

Lancret's favourite subjects were balls, fairs, village weddings, games and garden parties, painted in soft pastel colours with slender, graceful figures in the manner of Watteau. He also painted theatre scenes, portraits of famous dancers and actors, and a few historical pieces.

His touch has been called intelligent rather than poetic; Michael Levey described him as "no poet but a charming essayist". His charm, gentle humour and fresh colour anticipate Gainsborough and Fragonard.

Famous Works

• Italian Comedians by a Fountain (c. 1717), Wallace Collection, London. Actors of the Italian comedy relaxing outdoors.
• Concert in the Oval Salon of Pierre Crozat's Château at Montmorency (c. 1720), Dallas Museum of Art. A musical gathering in a grand country house.
• The Swing (c. 1730), Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Young people at play in a garden.
• La Camargo Dancing (c. 1730), National Gallery of Art, Washington. The celebrated ballerina Marie Camargo dancing in a park.
• Sleeping Shepherdess (c. 1730), National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo. A pastoral idyll in soft colour.
• The Ham Dinner (1735), Musée Condé, Chantilly. A lively, boisterous meal.
• Family in a Garden, National Gallery, London. A family taking coffee outdoors, called his masterpiece.

Decorating with Lancret Prints

Lancret's garden parties and swings, like The Seesaw, bring a light, playful mood to a living room, bedroom or sunroom, and their soft blues, pinks and greens suit French, shabby-chic and classic interiors.

His dance and music scenes are a natural fit for a music room or dining room, and his chalk figure drawings make an elegant small group for a hallway or study.

FAQ

What art movement was Nicolas Lancret part of?

He was a French Rococo painter, one of the leading followers of Antoine Watteau and the fête galante, the painting of elegant outdoor parties.

Was Lancret a pupil of Watteau?

Not directly. He admired Watteau and studied with Claude Gillot, who had been Watteau's teacher, in 1712–13.

What is Lancret's most famous painting?

His portraits of the dancer Marie Camargo are among his best-known works, and his last painting, Family in a Garden in the National Gallery in London, is considered his masterpiece.

Where can I see Lancret's paintings?

His work is in the Louvre, the Wallace Collection and the National Gallery in London, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the Hermitage, the Musée Condé and the Dallas Museum of Art.

Related Artists

• Jean-Antoine Watteau: the painter he admired and followed
• Claude Gillot: his teacher, who had also taught Watteau
• Jean-Baptiste Pater: fellow follower of Watteau's fête galante
• Jean-Honoré Fragonard: later Rococo painter whose work his anticipates
• Thomas Gainsborough: English painter whose freshness his late work anticipates