He is one of the leading exponents of the rocaille movement. Inspired by the commedia dell'arte, he liked to represent the theatre in his paintings, whether through the heavy curtains or the themes. Despite a brief career lasting around fifteen years, he enjoyed success during his lifetime and left a considerable body of work.
Watteau's profound originality lies in the strange, melancholy world he was able to create. His art delicately evokes the evanescent moments when, for a moment, people manage to break their solitude through tenderness, sensuality and exchange.
