Artwork
Le Goûter
Le Goûter is a paint print by the Baroque artist Louis-Marin Bonnet. It dates from 1764 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Le Goûter, executed in 1764 by Louis‑Marin Bonnet, is a color‑stipple print. The work presents a domestic scene set outdoors, rendered with a delicate palette and precise line work that give the image a tranquil, detailed quality.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a family of four gathered near an elegant building. A woman in a blue dress and straw hat holds a child on her lap, while another child stands nearby. A man in a red coat and powdered wig serves tea from a tray, suggesting a leisurely afternoon refreshment.
Technique & Style
Bonnet employed a color stipple method, layering fine dots of pigment to build tone and texture. Soft hues blend smoothly, and subtle chiaroscuro, light and shadow, creates depth without harsh contrasts, enhancing the scene’s calm atmosphere.
Context
The print reflects mid‑eighteenth‑century French interest in genre scenes that celebrate everyday genteel life. Its setting, garden, trees, and a small statue, aligns with contemporary ideals of refined leisure and the aesthetic of the Enlightenment’s cultivated taste.
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