The Analysis of Pierre Auguste-cot's Painting "Springtime"

"Springtime" is the oil painting by Pierre-Auguste Cot. The origins come from Cot’s teacher, Bouguereau and Cabanel along with inspiration from French master Jean Honoré Fragonard’s “The Swing”. This art piece is wonderful and it includes elements such as value from the light shinning down on the pair and a few principles of design like emphasis focusing the viewers eye on the couple along with movement from the swing.

Springtime (otherwise known as Le Printemps) is a gorgeous painting depicting young love. The scene takes place with the pair situated on a swing, held tight by substantial ropes suspended from concealed branches. The young man is shown to be holding firmly to the ropes that are supporting the swing while the lady grins warmly at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Different types of plants surround them, the scenery giving off a calm ambience between the couple. For the canvas to be set in an untainted and mythic land, there’s a possibility that the art was made in reference to the biblical characters Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

The young girl with flowing brown locks gives her lover a warm smile, with eyes that reflect her flirtation and want. She wears a long, transparent dress which reveals her naked body, pronouncing more on her lustful nature toward her young lover. The white color of her dress being symbolic of her purity and innocence, as well as her virginity. Her male companion on the other hand, has his head angled down toward the lady- his own eyes following directly back at her, reflecting back his own want and understanding. The orange color of his shirt representing his happiness and enthusiasm of the relationship, as well as possibly symbolizing his determination for his relationship with his lover.With the maiden’s arms clinging around her lover, she presses her body against the boy’s as he grips the ropes of the swing firmly, showing the trust that the girl has for him. The way the couple’s posture was painted shows the light swinging of their bodies as they’re situated on the swing, which further provides us an image of youthful, love between the two people in the painting.

The painting was made in the mid-19th century, a defining period for French art, and for craftsmanship around the globe, particularly amid the late part of the century. Unlike in previous generations, the main focus of the center of the nineteenth century was in addressing the right approach to painting. This became a vital advance forward for the subject of painting and art in general, because art had evolved from more than just being a “photographic record” of history to a medium that speaks the soul of an occasion or event. While majority of Pierre Auguste-Cot's artwork consist of mostly portraits, he’s renowned for several paintings that captures the spirit of an event such as his most famous work, the Springtime. Cot’s painting gave viewers an image of youthful love, enhanced by a teasing appeal and an admiring look shared between his subjects.

Unlike the usual historical and/or still life paintings, Cot painted us a simple scene of day to day life. With beautiful, eye-catching colors, Springtime was made in the style that permitted the artist such business and prevalent praise by, for the period, showing a bold reproduction of teenage sensuality. By merging elements of the modern style with the traditional, his canvas was a touching image of early-relationship love. Springtime was immensely popular at its presentation at the Paris Salon, and it wound up synonymous with the populist statures of French painting, and has been the subject of mass-created reproductions.