Le Berger empressé
Classification
Bound print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-224-24
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Antoine Watteau, a pioneering French Rococo artist (1684–1721 is celebrated for his enchanting *fêtes galantes*—elegant outdoor scenes blending romance, theater, and pastoral fantasy. *Le Berger empressé*The Eager Shepherd"), 1723–1735, exemplifies this legacy through a bound print reproduction created after Watteau's death. Likely capturing a suitor's ardent pursuit amid idyllic countryside, it reflects the artist's mastery in evoking fleeting emotions with delicate grace, a hallmark of early 18th-century French taste. As a bound print in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection—purc...