L'Indifférent

Watteau's L'Indifférent of around 1717 depicts a young man in theatrical costume — the silks and satins of a dancer or actor — paused in a moment between movement, his slight gesture of nonchalance creating the studied carelessness of the dandy's self-presentation. The small panel's virtuoso handling of silk and lace, and the figure's poised indifference to the observer's attention, create one of Watteau's most concentrated exercises in the aesthetics of theatrical self-consciousness. The indifference is itself performance — the figure acutely aware of being observed while performing unawareness.

Watteau renders the dancing figure with extraordinary lightness and grace, the silk costume shimmering in rose and silver tones. The small format and the exquisite refinement of the brushwork create a jewel-like masterpiece of Rococo painting.