L'Autonne, in L'Oeuvre D'Antoine Watteau Pientre du Roy en son Academie Roïale de Peinture et Sculpture Gravé d'après ses Tableaux & Desseins originaux...par les Soins de M. de Jullienne, Volume II, page 52 1735 - 1745

Etienne Fessard created this print, L’Autonne, after an original painting by Watteau, published in the mid-18th century as part of a larger collection. The composition immediately draws us in with its oval frame and the swirling figures that seem to spill out of it. Notice how the artist masterfully uses light and shadow to create depth, guiding our eyes through the scene. The figures, arranged in a pyramidal structure, evoke a sense of classical balance, yet there is a dynamic energy in their poses and interactions. The satyr pouring liquid into a chalice, the reclining figure with a staff, and the playful children create a scene of abundance and celebration, typical of allegories of Autumn. The print functions as a semiotic system, where each element—the figures, the setting, the objects—carries symbolic weight, engaging in a dialogue about nature, pleasure, and the transience of seasons. The very act of engraving, translating paint into line, adds another layer of interpretation, prompting us to consider how art transforms and preserves meaning across different forms and eras.