The Chord

Watteau's The Chord of around 1715 depicts a musician playing to an audience in an outdoor setting, exploring the intersection of music and social interaction that was central to his mature subjects. The figure's absorption in his instrument and the listeners' varied responses create a study in the different ways music is received — active attention, distracted reverie, social performance. Music was the art most analogous to Watteau's own — both creating temporary worlds of emotional experience that could not be preserved — and he returned repeatedly to musical subjects throughout his career.

Watteau renders the musical scene with delicate, shimmering brushwork and a palette of warm, harmonious tones. The careful rendering of the musical instruments and the absorbed expressions of the musicians create an atmosphere of intimate, sensuous pleasure.