Summer (L'Été) 1730 - 1740

Charles-Joseph Natoire created this delicate etching called ‘Summer’ during the height of the Rococo period in France. Characterized by its playful and ornamental aesthetic, Rococo art moved away from the more formal and structured style of the preceding Baroque era. Natoire’s print presents us with a group of cherubic children frolicking amidst symbols of the harvest. This idyllic scene reflects the values of the French aristocracy, evoking a sense of carefree leisure and abundance, while gently alluding to labor. This idealized vision of rural life was embraced by the elite, even as the vast majority of the French population struggled with poverty. The etching was created during the Enlightenment, an age of reason and scientific inquiry. Yet, we can see how Natoire's work catered to the tastes of a privileged class, rather than critiquing social inequality. By examining estate records, letters, and other documents from the period, we can better understand how the art world reflected and reinforced the prevailing social structures of 18th-century France.