WATTEAU, OW, ANTOINE (1684-1721). A celebrated French genre painter, the most original talent of the French school in the eighteenth cen tury. the painter par excellence of the 'fetes galantes.' He was born at Valenciennes, October 10. 11;84, the son of a roof-slater, and was first instructed there by Jacques Albert Gerin. He then made his way to Paris. where, after much painting of a commercial character, he entered the school of Claude Gillot, at that time the most reputed designer of ornaments. He afterwards became an assistant to Claude Andran, custodian of the Luxembourg. where, besides acquiring the delicate technique of the prevailing decorative panel painting, Wat teau was afforded the opportunity of studying the great allegories of Rubens, thereby greatly improving his coloring, Anxious to visit Italy, be competed for the Prix de Rome in 1709, but obtained only the second prize. Ile then re solved to petition for a special royal stipend, and hung two pictures in a passageway of the Academy, where they were seen by La Fosse, the director, who induced the young master to stand for the reception into the Academy (1712). His presentation picture. which. however, he did not produce until five years later, was the famous "Embarkation for the Isle of Cythera" (1717. Louvre), a replica of which, richer in detail and more harmonious on the whole, is in the Royal Palace at. Berlin. Of the master's few works approaching in excellence this his chief production, the most noteworthy is "Les plaisirs du hal" (Dulwich Gallery, England), a replica of which is in the new royal palace near Potsdam.
Afflicted with pulmonary consumption, this ingenious delineator of gay festivals was of a melancholy and restless disposition. He died at
Nogent-Sur-Marne. July 21, 1721. His last im portant work was the famous sign for Gersaint's art store, now in the Royal Palace, Berlin. Next to the Louvre, the La Caze collection of which contains "Gilles," "L'Indifferent" "The Cunning Woman," "Assembly in a Park." and five others, Watteau may be best studied. in Berlin and Potsdam. lit the Iferlin Museum may be seen in French Comedy," ,,Love Comedy," and "The Collation." while nineteen examples are in the various royal palaces, no tably "The Village Bride" (c.1715), at Sans Solid, with more than one hundred figures. The Dresden Gallery contains ''Company on a Lawn" and "Conversation on a Terrace." while in Lon don are preserved a "Concert Cliampetre" and "Lovers Surprised." in Buckingham l'alace, and "Village Fete," "Rendezvous," Lesson," and others in Sir Richard Wallace's collection. The engravings from Watteau's works comprise more than five hundred and sixty plates, includ ing many by famous masters. For his biography, consult: Collier (Valenciennes. 1867), Dame. in Kun.st ?Ind Iiinstler, iii. (Leipzig, 1880), Vol behr (Hamburg, 1885), Hannover (Berlin, 1889 ) , Dnrgenty ( Paris. 1891 ) , Nantz 1892), Rosenberg (Bielefeld. 1896), and Staley (London, 1903). Consult also Goncourt, Cala Ioqtw raisonne de Facurre d'antoine Watteau ( Paris, 1875) ; id., L'art rlu siicic (ib., 1883) ; and Pater, "A Prince of Court Painters." a luminous and sympathetic study, in in aginary Portraits (London, 1887).