Errant pendant la nuit...

Art Historical Context

Claude Gillot's *Errant pendant la nuit... (Wandering at Night...), an undated etching in its third state, captures the artist's playful yet masterful command of printmaking during the early 18th century. a French painter and engr (1673–1722), Gillot bridged the ornate Baroque era and the emerging Rococo style, influencing masters like Antoine Watteau, whom he briefly taught. This work, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of's Drawings and Prints department, measures 8⅞ × 13⅛ inches and was acquired through The Elisha Whittelsey Collection in 1957. Notably trimmed, with its inscription lost, it exemplifies etching's intaglio technique, where acid etches intricate lines into a metal plate for richly textured prints. The composition bursts with Gillot's characteristic whimsy, featuring male and female nudes alongside animals and birds in a nocturnal scene suggested by the evocative title. These elements evoke mythological reveries or fantastical escapades, blending human forms with nature in a dynamic, almost theatrical interplay—hallmarks of Gillot's satirical and decorative flair, often inspired by commedia dell'arte. As a third-state impression, this print reflects refinements in the edition, showcasing evolving details that highlight etching's potential for nuance and depth. For visitors, it offers a window into French art's lively transition, where sensuality and fantasy danced under the cover of night.

About the Artist

Claude Gillot · 1673–1722

Artist known for his elegant designs done in the Rococo manner of Audran; also for his predilection for scenes from the 'comedia dell'arte.' Few paintings survive; his work is known mainly through drawings and etchings. Comment on works: Genre; History