19TH CENTURY VARIANT ON FRAGONARD’S FAMOUS “SEE-SAW” OF 1750

19th Century Variant on Fragonard's Famous "The See-Saw" of 1750

Dimensions: 35″ × 44″

Condition: Unframed

Origin: French, 19th century

After: Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806)

About This Work

This 19th century painting is a variant of Fragonard's celebrated work "The See-Saw" from 1750. The original shows a young man and woman balanced on a plank of wood; the man's end of the plank is at the ground, flanked by two small children, while the woman is raised in the air, her hand catching hold of a branch above. The scene is largely framed by trees, with hints of blue sky and an architectural element visible in the background.

The garden was often used as a site for fantasy in 18th century painting and games such as these were familiar to contemporary audiences as sexual allegories. This painting was completed while Fragonard was a student of Boucher, who was known for his own paintings of such scenes. Fragonard's treatment of the scene is considerably subtler than those of Boucher, though audiences at the time would have recognized the double meaning in the ripe fruit and blossoming flowers alongside the see-saw itself.

The painting showcases Fragonard's mastery of bright colors, strong tonal contrasts and foliage as a framing element. The original is in the collection of Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Spain.