The Swing Essay Examples

Fragonard's 'The swing' is also referred to as 'The Happy Accidents of the Swing'. It is an oil on canvass painting and not a too complicated rococo painting. There are two lovers, an older man, a sculptured figure in front of the lady and another one consisting of two cupid figures in the background complete with trees and shrubs in a garden. A young man, probably her lover is seated in the shrubs opposite the lady on the swing. An older man pushes the swing and the lady, the lady seems happy flirting with the man, kicking her shoes off her foot in a seductive and flirty manner. Also, the young man in the shrubs expects her to open her legs slightly so that he can have a good view of all that is concealed under her skirt. He gets a nice view as her garter belt is seen and she eventually parts her legs flirtingly. A sculptured statue almost opposite her places his fingers to his lips as if asking for perfect silence as the young lovers is having fun and privacy is utmost on their minds. The colours are muted; the scene is dark and shadowy. Though not pitch dark, there is little illumination from the rays of sunlight that filters through the leaves and trees. The details in the painting are extreme but smaller in size. Also, this painting is a stark deviation from the Renaissance and Baroque in that this painting lacks the type of seriousness seen in both Baroque and Renaissance. Also, 'The Swing's tone in those days can be said to be highly immoral which is punishable by the church and the state.