The Swing, The Harvest, and Cherry Picking from a set of the Pastorals with Blue Draperies 1775 - 1795

This tapestry, "The Swing, The Harvest, and Cherry Picking from a set of the Pastorals with Blue Draperies," was created by French artist Jean-Baptiste Huet I between 1775 and 1795. The tapestry, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, features three scenes depicting leisurely pastoral activities: children on a swing, a group gathering crops, and individuals picking cherries from a tree. The scene is framed by a flowing blue drapery garland adorned with flowers, a popular design motif during the Rococo era. Huet's tapestry exemplifies the idealized vision of rural life prevalent in 18th-century French art. The depiction of simple pleasures and natural beauty is a hallmark of this era, and Huet's work captures this aesthetic beautifully.