Title: The Letter

Artist: Pietro Longhi, French.

Year: 1746

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Style: Rococo

Notes & Analysis of the Artwork

Artist favored contemporary scenes of regular Venetian life.

Full of humor and implication.

• Portrays a light comedic take on contemporary society.
• Provide an intimate look at 18^th century Venice.

The painting depicts the simple act of receiving a letter in a receiving parlor.

• A young girl opens the letter.
  • Can be seen in the right portion of the painting.
  • Notice her coy glace at the letter bearer
• Older woman and young girl sit by
  • They are oblivious of the encounter.
  • Can be seen in facial expressions and body language.
• Painting hints at the everyday occurrences of flirting and bourgeois courtship.
  • highlighted in use of humor and expressions.
  • the letter bearer knowing of who the letter is from, teases the lady.

Colors play on the story being illustrated:

The Gray background brings in maturity.

• Place against the letter bearer, it looks like something out a cartoon.
• Kind of like a fox or something.
• Creates a nice contrast against the colored clothing of the women.
• Blends with the dark clothing of the letter bearer.
  • Can be connected to the black, sophistication of the bourgeois.

The light pink/white tells of when innocence meets lust.

• The white portion of her dress serves as the innocence.
• The letter and the pink portion of her dress serve as lust.
• Perfect balance, plays on humor, delivers expression.

The toned-down greens are the colors of the lower class next to the upper class.

• Creates a type of comforting tone towards the image.
• Worn by the two older women.
• Shows the difference in relation between the bourgeois and the woman in pink.
• Supports the gray by bringing in maturity.