The Embarkation for Cythera

The Embarkation for Cythera
Artist: Watteau
Oil painting on canvas; Size: 129x194 cm; Louvre, Paris.

Island of Cythera was a beautiful island in Greece myth. The god of love and god of poem were together here. It was almost a love paradise. In the legend that love god Venus was born in here.
Watteau’s oil painting The Embarkation for Cythera (L'embarquement pour Cythere) was created by a related song and dance drama. It was said for the same oil painting subject, Watteau created three oil paintings. This is the 2nd one, and it is the best of the 3.
Embarkation for the Island of Cythera is Watteau's most famous painting. The oil painting depicted the scene that a group of aristocrat noble lovers played together. The painting background was in blue color. The noble lovers went over to the island that the natural scene was shrouded in golden light. The flying little Cupid in sky, the Venus with rose that stand in gracefully nature, all telling us that Cythera is a very beautiful island with nice atmosphere. Lovers in the oil painting were all graceful and gentle.
By oil painting skill, Watteau’s brush touches were consummate and painted in bright and quiet colors. We can see Watteau’s realistic ability. And though there is a big contrast between the figure’s position and the whole painting composition, the dedicated and charming color made the figures in small proportion more bright and lively. All of these made Watteau became one of the most brilliant artists in early Rococo art.
After the 18th century, Watteau adapted the supernatural life and graceful manner into his oil painting art. He painted his strange art ideas and showed the Rococo art style. Combined with the development of fashion in social life, oil paintings, sculptures, furniture, clothes and interior decoration in Rococo style got the dominant position in royal and noble life. Watteau left many oil paintings, mostly depicted the noble’s life. He was named as the first remarkable art master in Rococo art.