

Now with the picture before us, it is clear that Rosenberg's assessment was correct. During this point in his career, Fragonard was very much under the influence of Boucher, and the round forms and opulent flesh are clearly drawn on the works of the older master. The handling of the paint itself recalls other early works by Fragonard, such as The Stolen Kiss, in the Metropolitan Museum, New York. In both, Fragonard renders the flesh quite smoothly while he builds the drapery up with strong, heavy strokes. Here, particularly, the colors are warm and in a narrow range of yellows and reds, lending the entire composition a feeling of creamy richness and light. It is the only example of a nude painted during his early Italian trip and is a forerunner of the remarkable erotic paintings of his maturity.
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