Artwork
Winter
Winter is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jean Honoré Fragonard. It dates from 1755 and is held in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jean‑Honoré Fragonard’s oil painting titled “Winter” was executed in 1755. The work is part of the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where it is displayed among the museum’s European paintings.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a woman reclining on a snowy ground, wrapped in a vivid red cloak, while two children stand nearby. The youngsters are dressed in bright garments—one in yellow and blue, the other in orange—providing contrast to the muted winter palette and suggesting a narrative of familial care amid a cold landscape.
Technique & Style
Fragonard employs oil on canvas to render the scene with a subtle handling of light and shadow. The red cloak and the children’s colorful attire are rendered with a heightened chromatic intensity, while the surrounding sky and ground are treated in softer, cooler tones, creating a modest chiaroscuro effect that models the figures against the cloudy backdrop.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑18th century, “Winter” entered the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition (specific details of its earlier ownership are not recorded in the available sources). The painting remains a representative example of Fragonard’s early work prior to his later Rococo fame.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Honoré Fragonard was born on 5 April 1732 in Grasse, the son of a glover, and moved with his family to Paris in 1738.
