Who painted The Country Dance?

The Country Dance was painted by Gabriel de Saint-Aubin in 1760.

Where can I see The Country Dance?

The Country Dance is held by J. Paul Getty Museum.

What movement is The Country Dance?

The Country Dance is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of The Country Dance?

Museum-quality prints of The Country Dance are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Country Dance

Gabriel de Saint-Aubin , 1760

The Country Dance is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Gabriel de Saint-Aubin. It dates from 1760 and is held in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum.

About this work

Overview

Gabriel de Saint‑Aubin’s oil painting The Country Dance (1760) captures a convivial gathering in a pastoral setting.

Gabriel de Saint‑Aubin’s oil painting The Country Dance (1760) captures a convivial gathering in a pastoral setting. Executed in the late Rococo period, the work measures roughly 70 × 90 cm and is part of the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Its composition centers on a dancing couple surrounded by onlookers, all rendered in the light, decorative manner typical of mid‑eighteenth‑century French genre scenes.

Subject & Meaning

The canvas portrays a festive outdoor fête where villagers, dressed in contemporary 18th‑century costume, engage in music, dance, and conversation. A pair of figures occupies the foreground, their movement suggesting a lively reel, while nearby spectators pause to watch or chat. The scene conveys a sense of communal leisure, emphasizing the pleasures of rural life and the social bonds formed through shared entertainment.

Technique & Style

Saint‑Aubin employs a warm palette of ochres, siennas and soft blues, applied with fluid brushwork that softens edges and creates a gentle atmospheric glow. Light filters through the trees, illuminating the dancers and lending a sense of intimacy. The composition balances detailed rendering of costume and foliage with broader, more impressionistic treatment of background elements such as the stone wall and distant trees.

History & Provenance

Painted in 1760, The Country Dance reflects Saint‑Aubin’s interest in everyday subjects, a departure from the grand historical narratives favored by his contemporaries. The work entered the Getty Museum’s collection in the early 21st century through a private acquisition, where it now contributes to the museum’s representation of French Rococo genre painting.