The Chemise Withdrawn
Historical Context
Fragonard's The Chemise Withdrawn from around 1770, in the Louvre, is one of his most overtly erotic paintings, depicting a woman whose garment is being removed by unseen hands. The painting belongs to the tradition of erotic boudoir paintings that circulated among private collectors in pre-revolutionary France, a tradition that would be suppressed by the moral austerity of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. Fragonard's handling transforms what could be vulgar into a scene of sensuous warmth and playful intimacy.
Technical Analysis
Fragonard's warm, golden palette and spiraling composition create a scene of dynamic sensuality. The rapid, energetic brushwork renders the tumbled bedclothes and the warm flesh tones with characteristic spontaneity and technical confidence.
