The Stolen Kiss Jean Honore Fragonard (1732-1806)

Description of Jean Honoré Fragonard’s painting "The Kiss of Stealth

Fragonard really loved to fantasize. His creative temperament is truly enormous.

What we have before us is a painting characteristic of the painter. In it you can feel the contradictions that miraculously coexisted in the master’s work.

One gets the impression that the subject was dictated by aristocrats who love painting. We see the brilliance and feel the cheerful mood that reigns in this work. But this does not deprive the scene of truthfulness. One gets the impression that the artist was an unintentional witness to it.

Guests have gathered in the living room. The girl comes out just for a minute, as she has forgotten her scarf. The young man is purposely waiting for her. She finds herself in his hot embrace. There is a sense of movement and profound emotion in everything that is portrayed.

Fragonard tries to convey all kinds of objects and pay maximum attention to their texture. He paints the silk of the dress down to the last detail, truthfully and thoroughly. The scarf and the polished surface of the table are depicted with equal skill. In all the strokes you can feel an incredible love for all kinds of expressions of life. They are so lush and colorful that the picture seems three-dimensional. It seems to the viewer that a little more and the characters of this light scene will come to life.

Fragonard creates a picture in an unusual for him manner. The thing is that he wrote it in the late period. At this time, the fashion in vogue is classicism. He demanded the most clear silhouettes and lines, as well as restraint in terms of color. Fragonard was a stranger to this style, but his influence can still be felt to some extent.

Fragonard was able to capture a fleeting kiss that felt as if it had been stolen. The everyday scene was a true masterpiece. The artist was able to convey his idea of love. Such a masterly rendering of a seemingly unremarkable scene acquires depth.