Conserving The Swing

Jean-Honoré Fragonard was a French painter known for his late Rococo style, characterized by its playful exuberance and hedonistic themes. His works often depict scenes of love, leisure, and the delights of the aristocracy.

Between August and November 2021, Fragonard's best-known work, The Swing, underwent sensitive conservation in an effort to reverse the natural aging process, which had diminished the painting’s appearance.  

Onsite conservation was thus planned to address this issue. The project thus represented an exciting direction for conservation at the Wallace Collection, as no other painting had ever been cleaned and conserved onsite at the museum.  

If the viewing experience has now been greatly enhanced, the project has also enhanced our knowledge of Fragonard’s working process. Little was noted in the way of underdrawing, suggesting that Fragonard worked confidently and skillfully, directly on the canvas.  

Scattered pentimenti (artist changes) were noted for the first time. The woman’s knee and petticoat was adjusted as was the young admirer’s right shoulder.