The Musical Contest c. 1749 - 1752

Jean-Honoré Fragonard painted "The Musical Contest," likely in France, sometime in the late eighteenth century. It portrays a common theme for the time, which is the game of love played out in a verdant fantasy landscape. We can interpret this image through the lens of the French court and aristocratic society that shaped its production and reception. During this period, rococo art often served as a form of escapism, offering a temporary retreat from social responsibilities. The painting’s emphasis on leisure and romantic pursuit reflects the values of the upper class. The garden setting is replete with signifiers of wealth and leisure, and the woman is being romanced by music. When considering Fragonard's painting, we can examine documents from the period to better understand the cultural significance of such images. We can also ask, to what extent did these images serve to reinforce the social hierarchy of the time?