The Cupboard
Medium
etching
Dimensions
39.1 × 52.3 cm
Classification
Department
Prints
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Edwin R. and Harriet Pelton Perkins Memorial Fund
Accession Number
1994.196
Tags
male
About this artwork
Fragonard designed this popular etching to delight his viewers, who spy on the dramatic scene like the eavesdropping servants in the background. A maiden weeps as her boyfriend, caught hiding in a wardrobe, sheepishly faces the girl’s angry parents. Rumpled bed sheets and the position of the hat give away the passionate activities of the young lovers. Comically, the hat with a broad ribbon held by the boy belongs to his girlfriend. His plain hat with a buttoned-up brim hangs in the cupboard.