Mezzetin
ca. 1718-20
Here sits Mezzetin, a classic character from the Italian Commedia dell'arte, looking utterly heartbroken while strumming his guitar in a lush, shadowy garden. Dressed in a flamboyant striped costume with a ruffled collar and pink wig, he seems to be singing a serenade to a lady who isn't listening—perhaps the statue in the background? Watteau, the master of the Rococo style, captures a moment of romantic melancholy that feels both theatrical and deeply personal. It's a beautiful mix of flamboyant flair and genuine sadness, painted just a few years before the artist's own early death from tuberculosis.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 55.9 × 43.2 cm
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
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