First, watch the videos and read the texts regarding the works of art representing women by Fragonard and Kauffman:
Then, use the comparison images to compare and contrast Fragonard’s “The Swing” and Kauffman’s “Cornelia Presenting Her Children.” Write a 200-250 word essay that considers the following questions in your response:
- How are women represented differently in each painting?
- How has the setting changed, and what might this change indicate?
- What qualities of femininity does each painting advance?
- What are some differences between Rococo and Neoclassical Art?
Requirements: 200-250 words
Answer preview
Rococo paintings depict the themes of love; in Fragonard’s “The Swing,” this is seen in the representation of love through the love triangle between the French mistress, her husband, and the lover. Additionally, the presence of cherubs and the lush landscape is another characteristic of Rococo art (Harris & Zucker, 2017). On the other hand, in neoclassical arts, neoclassical virtues are evident in the art of Kauffman’s “Cornelia Presenting Her Children,” as the woman gladly presents her children as her treasure instead of bringing forward her jewelry box. Similarly, the woman and her children are dressed in Roman attires, while the interior of the building is in two columns, like in the Roman ones, another element of neoclassical art (Martin, n.d.).
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