The Useless Resistance

The Useless Resistance at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco depicts one of Fragonard's characteristic scenes of amorous struggle, where gallant pursuit meets coy resistance. Such subjects embodied the playful eroticism of Rococo culture, where love was treated as an elegant game. The bravura brushwork—rapid, swirling strokes building luminous effects—was applied alla prima onto canvas primed with warm ochre grounds, a technique Fragonard developed after studying Tiepolo in Venice.

The dynamic composition captures the physical interplay between the figures, with billowing drapery and energetic brushwork creating a sense of tumbling movement. The warm palette heightens the scene's sensual energy.