Columbine and Harlequin
1729
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1729
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
A woman in a feathered hat leans on a stone wall. She wears a blue dress and looks out with calm eyes. Next to her, a man in a patchy costume holds a guitar. They are characters from old comic plays called Commedia dell'arte. The swirls and leaf-like curls in the background were popular in 1700s France. This style is called arabesque. The same kind of playful design appears in works by the artist Jean Moyreau (French, 1690–1762). (Word count: 98)
