Bathroom Decor

In 1784, Hubert Robert was commissioned to paint six pieces to be placed in Louis XVI’s Chateau de Bagatelle. This Chateau was built on the premise of a bet made between Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, but then came to be used for the king’s pleasure. The themes of these pieces were to go along with the purpose of the mansion. They were to be windows onto a world of fantasy, depicting frivolous subject matters. He drew from the knowledge of architectural, natural, and human forms that he gained from his 16-year apprenticeship in Italy and created paintings that play with the contrasting ideas of solid forms against spatial recessions.

The placement of these paintings may appear somewhat odd to the viewer, for they were put in the bathroom of the estate. Why were these paintings of great magnificence created, only to be put in a bathroom? Was the purpose of these paintings to capture the viewer’s attention and show the magnificence of nature and how humans are so dwarfed by its beauty? These pieces were made during the French Revolution where there was much upheaval in the country. Were the fantastic themes these pieces held a means of escape from all the turmoil happening around them?

Hubert Robert, The Mouth of a Cave, 1784, oil on canvas; 68 ¾ x 31 ¼ in., 17.190.25

This piece depicts a fisherman and two women standing in the mouth of a cave, discussing the day’s catch. Down below, another man is seen carrying a basket of fish on his shoulders. The drastic proportions of the piece paired with the vertical nature of the cave depicted, serve to dwarf the people in it. These qualities serve to further along the idea Robert wanted to create of a fantasy world, and as a result leave the viewer in awe.

Hubert Robert, The Fountain, oil on canvas, 68 ¼ x 31 3/8 in., 17.190.26

 This piece shows a group of women washing clothes in the base of a fountain. The fountain itself is a long column mounted by what appears to be the statue of a deity. Robert alludes to his time in Rome through his use of the column. The large, vertical quality of the fountain paired with the diagonal of the building guides the eye first towards the people in the foreground washing clothes, and then towards the people on horseback in the background.

Hubert Robert, The Dance, oil on canvas, 68 ¼ x 33 5/8 in., 17.190.28

Then comes the painting The Dance. This piece takes place in a mountain pass through which a river flows. In the background, a group of travelers are shown crossing over a waterfall on a long stone bridge, and entering a tunnel. Down below, a guitarist is shown playing music while a group of people dance. This scene continues Robert’s theme of a fantasy world by portraying people dancing without a care in the world.

Hubert Robert, The Swing, oil on canvas, 68 ¼ x 34 5/8 in.

 This painting depicts a woman on a swing soaring into the air amidst high rising trees. The woman is surrounded by a group of people leaning against a stature of a man as they watch. It is said that this piece shows a scene of a game played in the eighteenth century.

Hubert Robert, The Bathing Pool, oil on canvas, 68 ¾ x 48 ¾ in., 17.190.29

 This piece reflects the nature of the room in which it was placed. It shows a large crumpling building overgrown by trees with steps leading into a bathing pool. Dotted along the way are either women preparing to take a bath, or women already swimming in the pool. The decomposing building alludes to the state the country was in at the time, yet Robert incorporates a fantastical element to the piece as well.

Hubert Robert, Wandering Minstrels, oil on canvas, 68 ¾ x 48 ¼ in., 17.190. 30

In this piece, Robert draws from the sites he visited while in Rome. The scene depicted shows three musicians standing on a fountain. The musicians—known as the wandering minstrels—serenade the women looking down on them from the windows above. This piece has a dreamlike quality in the colors present and the soft textures portrayed.