Fortified Farm in the Bend of a River
c.1714
Jean-Antoine Watteau is the king of fancy outdoor parties, but here he swaps the aristocrats for a rugged, fortified farm. Drawn around 1714, this sketch shows a cluster of buildings perched on a hill next to a winding river, looking almost like a miniature castle. The loose, scribbly lines give the scene a lively, crumbling charm, proving that Rococo artists loved the countryside just as much as the court. The handwritten notes at the bottom reveal this image was later reproduced by 19th-century printers, keeping Watteau's rustic vision alive for generations.
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