Artwork
Fragonard and Bergeret with Their Wives Visiting a Tomb in Pompeii
Fragonard and Bergeret with Their Wives Visiting a Tomb in Pompeii is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Claude-Mathieu Fessard. It dates from 1781 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Fragonard and Bergeret with Their Wives Visiting a Tomb in Pompeii is an etching on laid paper created by Claude-Mathieu Fessard in 1781.
Subject & Meaning
The etching depicts four figures in 18th-century attire gathered around a tomb, where a skeleton lies on the ground, juxtaposing life and death in a manner characteristic of early Romantic art.
Technique & Style
The scene is rendered in etching, a printmaking technique, showcasing Fessard's skill in capturing the textures of the tomb, the figures' clothing, and the surrounding ruin.
Context
The work reflects the Romantic interest in history, emotion, and the passage of time, as embodied by the ancient Pompeii setting and the presence of a skeleton.
Artist & collection
