Renaud dans les jardins d'Armide
Historical Context
Rinaldo in the Gardens of Armida (1763), in the Louvre, illustrates an episode from Tasso's Gerusalemme Liberata in which the crusader Rinaldo is enchanted in the sorceress Armida's magical garden. Fragonard renders this literary subject as a vision of luxuriant nature, the enchanted garden depicted with the lush, atmospheric landscape painting that was among his greatest strengths. The painting was exhibited at the Salon of 1765 to considerable acclaim, establishing Fragonard's reputation as a painter capable of handling ambitious literary subjects. The Tasso subject was popular throughout European art, its combination of romance, magic, and landscape providing opportunities for the most imaginative pictorial treatment.
Technical Analysis
The enchanted garden is rendered with Fragonard's characteristic lush vegetation and warm lighting, creating a paradise setting for the amorous captivity. The figures are enveloped by the surrounding foliage in a composition of sensuous entrapment.
