Rinaldo, Astride Baiardo, Flies Off in Pursuit of Angelica
c. 1795
Medium
black chalk with brown wash and touches of pen andbrown ink on laid paper
Dimensions
overall (approximate): 39.2 x 26.2 cm (15 7/16 x 10 5/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.9080
Art Historical Context
In Jean-Honoré Frard's dynamic drawing *Rinaldo, Astrideardo, Flies Off Pursuit of Angelica* (c. 1795), the French Rococo master captures a whirlwind moment from Ludovico Ariosto's poem *Orlando Furioso*. Here, the knight Rinaldo mounts his magical steed Baiardo, soaring skyward in hot pursuit of the enchanting princess Angelica. Fragonard's playful composition brims with movement—billowing drapery, rearing horse, and fervent energy—evoking the chivalric romance and whimsy that captivated 18th-century audiences. Created late in Fragonard's career amid the French Revolution's upheavals, this w...
About the Artist
Jean-Honoré Fragonard · 1732–1806
Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806) was a French painter and printmaker whose late Rococo manner was distinguished by remarkable facility, exuberance, and hedonism. Born in Grasse, he moved to Paris where he trained under Jean-Baptiste Chardin and François Boucher, winning the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1752. After studying in Italy alongside Hubert Robert, Fragonard returned to Paris in 1761 to fi...