Landscape with a Cottage and Well c. 1714

Curator: Here we have Jean-Antoine Watteau's "Landscape with a Cottage and Well," a red chalk drawing from around 1714. Editor: It's funny, the first thing I notice is this… almost precarious well structure? Like it’s a stage set waiting for a play about rural life to begin. Curator: That is astute. Watteau and his contemporaries, like many artists associated with the Rococo movement, often infused their art with a sense of theatricality. But unlike many, Watteau began to explore the rural lives in France through the visual economy that distinguished his work, notably, his focus on drawings in the development of his artistry. Editor: So, was Watteau deliberately turning away from grand court portraiture of his time? I can almost feel his frustration at that sort of staged artifice in this landscape! It’s loose and a bit sketch-like. Is he striving for authenticity? Curator: That is a fair observation; though, it is difficult to state Watteau's intention outright. I think we can agree this pencil and chalk study differs in intention and subject from his better-known fêtes galantes. Here we get a glimpse into, not only what captivated Watteau, but also the ways artists prepared to render subjects on the canvas or walls. Editor: There’s a real charm in its incompleteness, the roughness. It feels very immediate. I am drawn to how the cottage almost melts into the foliage; I love it. Curator: Indeed. In a way, this drawing offers a behind-the-scenes look at Watteau's artistic process, revealing his keen observation and delicate touch, and of the Rococo predeliction towards line drawings. What is curious for me, in consideration of the social environment, is his lack of embellishment or, really, his minimalist hand here. Editor: Agreed, it offers something real in a style associated with powdered wigs. Makes me want to visit this place, if only to sit in the grass near that… well, precarious well. It is simply the best bit! Curator: This glimpse into Watteau's method provides us insight to his working method and this social commentary; a unique record of his vision. Editor: I will keep an eye out for more precarious well structures; for inspiration, of course!