Artwork
Horticulture
Horticulture is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Nicolas Lancret. It dates from 1723 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
5 cm in width, a notably tall and narrow format that suggests it may have been designed as part of a series or for a specific architectural setting.
Nicolas Lancret executed Horticulture in oil paint on canvas in 1723. The painting measures 151.0 cm in height by 36.5 cm in width, a notably tall and narrow format that suggests it may have been designed as part of a series or for a specific architectural setting. The oil-on-canvas medium was standard for French painting of this period, allowing for the refined handling and luminous color effects characteristic of Lancret's style.
As a work from 1723 by this artist, it reflects the Rococo tendencies of early eighteenth-century French art, though the specific stylistic qualities of this particular canvas are not detailed in the available sources.
History & Provenance
Nicolas Lancret created the oil painting titled Horticulture in 1723 within France. The work, executed on canvas, measures 151 cm in height and 36.5 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1948.176.2.
The painting depicts a scene related to gardening or agricultural themes, consistent with Lancret's focus on festive and pastoral subjects during the early 18th century.
Horticulture is held by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under inventory number 1948.176.2. The painting entered the museum's collection as part of its holdings of French eighteenth-century art, and no further details of its acquisition or earlier ownership are recorded in the available documentation. No exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.
Overview
Created in 1723, Horticulture is an oil painting by French artist Nicolas Lancret. Executed during the early Rococo period, the work is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies Lancret’s focus on elegant, leisurely scenes of aristocratic life.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a young woman dressed in a blue gown with red stripes, balanced by a white headscarf. She carries a basket of flowers atop her head while standing amid a cultivated garden featuring trees and a trellis, suggesting a moment of refined outdoor leisure.
Context
The painting reflects the social tastes of the French Regency and the early reign of Louis XV, when courtly pastimes and garden outings were fashionable among the aristocracy. Lancret’s work, known for its lighthearted genre scenes, captures the genteel manners and aesthetic preferences of that era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolas Lancret (French pronunciation:; 22 January 1690 – 14 September 1743) was a French painter.
