Pulchinello and Lucretia

Pulcinello and Lucretia by Andien de Clermont from 1742 combines commedia dell'arte characters with classical narrative in a decorative composition typical of rococo taste. The playful juxtaposition of comic and classical elements reflects the witty sophistication of mid-eighteenth-century decorative painting. Characteristic of the artist's mature approach, the work displays delicate decorative painting in the French Rococo manner, arabesques, grisaille panels, and painted interiors combining French elegance with English patronage.

The decorative composition balances theatrical figures with classical references, the light, playful handling characteristic of the rococo sensibility that informed de Clermont's decorative work.