Fête galante in a Landscape c. 1730 - 1735

Jean Baptiste François Pater painted this fête galante in a landscape with oil on canvas. It shows an elegant gathering of people enjoying themselves outdoors. This kind of painting was very popular in France in the 18th century. It reflects the values of the aristocracy at the time - pleasure, leisure, and refined conversation. The setting is important too. The ruins in the background remind us of the past, while the lush greenery and fashionable attire evoke a sense of luxury and privilege. Pater's teacher was Antoine Watteau, who is credited with inventing this genre. So here we have an early example of what we now call ‘institutionalization’, where a style of painting becomes established and endlessly repeated within the art market. To understand these paintings fully, we can look at literature, fashion, and social history. We see that art doesn't exist in a vacuum, but is always a product of its time.