Jean-Antoine Watteau

Jean-Antoine Watteau - better known as Antoine Watteau - was one of the most brilliant and original artists of the 18th century, whose work significantly impacted the development of Rococo art in France and throughout the rest of Europe. Watteau lived only to the age of thirty-six and was plagued by illness for most of his career. Even so, he revived an interest in color and movement through his paintings that incorporated figures in theatrical and aristocratic dress within lush imaginary landscapes. Despite his short-lived career, Watteau rose from a provincial background, finding fame and establishing an artistic legacy that prevailed far beyond his life.