Ferrau et Orlando poursuivant Sacripante
ca. 1780-1785
Famous for his fluffy, playful Rococo masterpieces like *The Swing*, Fragonard shows a wilder side here in this ghostly, misty sketch. The faint green washes and scribbly lines capture the frantic energy of knights Ferrau and Orlando hunting down Sacripante through a dense, tangled landscape, a scene borrowed from the epic poem *Orlando Furioso*. Fragonard was legendary for his 'furia francese' (French fury)—a style so fast and energetic he could reportedly finish a drawing like this in under an hour, prioritizing the feeling of motion over perfect detail. It feels less like a finished illustration and more like a fleeting glimpse into a chaotic chase.
- Technique
- Brush and wash
- Material
- Paper
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