Jeroboam Sacrificing to Idols
Historical Context
Fragonard's Jeroboam Sacrificing to Idols from 1752, in the Beaux-Arts de Paris, was the painting that won him the Prix de Rome, launching the career of one of the eighteenth century's most celebrated painters. The Old Testament subject, showing King Jeroboam's idolatrous sacrifice, was treated in the grand manner expected of Prix de Rome competitions. The painting's success led to Fragonard's enrollment at the French Academy in Rome, where he would develop the freer, more sensuous style that became his hallmark.
Technical Analysis
The monumental composition deploys classical figures in an architectural setting with the academic rigor expected of a Prix de Rome entry. Fragonard's early technique shows accomplished handling of drapery, anatomy, and dramatic lighting within the conventions of French academic history painting.
