Fête Galante
| Artist | Philip Mercier (French, ca. 1690–1760) |
|---|---|
| Title | Fête Galante |
| Date | 18th century |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | Framed (Measurements taken during examination of reverse, 5/31/2005.): 31 1/2 × 34 5/8 × 2 3/4 in. (80 × 87.9 × 7 cm) Overall: 25 3/4 x 28 3/4 in. (65.4 x 73 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 60.25 |
| This artwork is currently off display. You may be able to see this artwork by filling out an art viewing room request. | |
Painting of a group of men and women in elegant clothing outside. A man stands in the center while four women in pastel-colored dresses surround him. The background features several trees and a single marble sculpture.
Although he was born in Berlin to French Huguenot parents, Mercier is most closely associated with English art. He arrived in London in 1716, and from 1729 to 1736 he was painter to the Prince of Wales. Mercier’s work reveals the influence of French Rococo painters, notably Antoine Watteau, particularly in his choice of subject matter. The subject of this painting is a fête galante, a type of genre scene that features figures in ball or masquerade costumes enjoying pleasurable—often amorous—activities in idealized landscapes.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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"Fête Galante | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=60.25