Metropolitan Museum of Art Presents 'Watteau, Music and Theater' Exhibition
From September 22 to November 29, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City presents 'Watteau, Music and Theater,' featuring a collection of fifteen paintings and various drawings by Antoine Watteau. The exhibition is enriched with period instruments and engravings that provide insight into the historical backdrop of Watteau's themes. Born in 1684, Watteau, who passed away at the age of 36 due to tuberculosis, was instrumental in creating the fête galante genre. This showcase pays tribute to former director Philippe de Montebello, who had a particular appreciation for Watteau's 'Mezzetin.' Art critic Anita Brookner suggested that Watteau’s figures could have transformed with more time. Additionally, Jed Perl's book draws parallels between Watteau and Nan Goldin, while the exhibition references the 1917 play 'Behind the Watteau Picture.'
Key facts
- Exhibition runs from September 22 to November 29 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Features 15 paintings and multiple drawings by Antoine Watteau
- Includes period instruments and engravings for historical context
- Watteau was born in 1684, son of a roofer, and died at age 36 from tuberculosis
- He developed the fête galante genre depicting aristocrats in theatrical settings
- Show is a tribute to former museum director Philippe de Montebello
- Drawings are in white, red, and black chalk on oatmeal-colored paper
- Comparisons made to contemporary artist Nan Goldin and her work 'The Ballad of Sexual Dependency'
Entities
Artists
- Antoine Watteau
- Gillot
- Anita Brookner
- Jed Perl
- Nan Goldin
- Samuel Beckett
- Henry James
- Serge Diaghilev
- Katherine Hepburn
- Karole Armitage
- Cézanne
Institutions
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Brooklyn Academy of Music
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Paris
- France
- Flanders
- Greenwich Village
- Washington
- Cythera