The Dreamer

Jean Honoré Fragonard

late 1770s · Pencil and sepia wash · Robert Lehman Collection

A young woman sits on the edge of an armchair near a mirror partially covered with drapery; she appears to be dozing, an open book in hand. Another young woman stands nearby, with one finger raised to her lips to silence her companion, who turns and points to the sleeping figure. Fragonard masterfully captures the interplay of light and texture, especially in the protagonist’s sumptuous silk dress. Liberating form from a defining line, he builds volume almost entirely from a range of spontaneously applied washes. The physical presence of the luminous sleeping figure contrasts markedly with the spectral appearance of her companions, who seem to materialize her imagination in sleep.

Artist

Jean Honoré Fragonard

Date

late 1770s

Medium

Pencil and sepia wash

Department

Robert Lehman Collection

Credit line

Robert Lehman Collection, 1975