Jean-Honoré Fragonard
French, 1732–1806
The Warrior
c. 1770
The Warrior is one of a number of “fantasy” portraits painted by Fragonard around 1770. This figure may be an arrogant warrior from some bygone age or he may be one of the artist’s contemporaries in disguise. The features of his face are individualized, but his costume is invented, described in the artist’s time as “Spanish in manner.” Fragonard seems to have been more interested in demonstrating his brilliant brushwork than in portraying a recognizable individual.
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 32 1/16 x 25 3/8 in. (81.5 x 64.5 cm) Frame: 43 5/8 x 37 x 4 1/8 in. (110.8 x 94 x 10.5 cm) |
| Object Number | 1964.8 |
| Acquisition | Acquired by the Clark, 1964 |
| Status | On View |
Image Caption
Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Warrior, c. 1770, oil on canvas. Clark Art Institute, Acquired by the Clark, 1964.8
Select Bibliography
Cuzin, Jean-Pierre. Jean-Honoré Fragonard (17321806). Exhibition catalogue. Barcelona: Fundació "la Caixa", 2006.
Sterling, Charles. Portrait of a Man (The Warrior) [by] Jean Honoré Fragonard: Exhibit Twenty-seven. Exhibition catalogue. Williamstown, MA: Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 1964.
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Rosenberg, Pierre. Fragonard. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1987.
Beck, Herbert, Peter C. Bol, and Marike Bückling. Mehr Licht: Europa um 1770. Die bildende Kunst der Aufkläarung. Exhibition catalogue. München: Klinkhardt & Biermann, 1999.
Berkman, Florence. "Clark Museum Acquires Famous Fragonard Work." The Hartford Times, 29 August 1964.
Anonymous. "Berkshires Get 'Unknown' Fragonard." The Berkshire Eagle, 29 August 1964.
Anonymous. "Clark Art Institute to Unveil 'Unknown' Fragonard Sunday." Bennington Banner, 29 August 1964.
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Anonymous. "A Rococo Masterpiece for Williamstown." New York Times, 30 August 1964.
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