#46039 Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721)

The oval composition presents a female figure enthroned amidst a swirling celestial backdrop. She is depicted as a personification of abundance and authority, seated upon a mound overflowing with wheat or grain. The arrangement suggests prosperity and the bounty of harvest.
A lion, rendered in meticulous detail, rests at her feet, symbolizing strength, courage, and regal power. Its posture appears docile, indicating submission to the figure’s dominion. To her right, a cherubic child holds aloft a sickle, an instrument traditionally associated with reaping and harvesting. This placement reinforces the theme of agricultural productivity and cyclical renewal.
The woman herself is adorned with a crown composed of berries and leaves, suggesting a connection to nature and fertility. Her attire consists of flowing robes in pale pink hues, which contribute to her ethereal appearance. The artist has employed a soft, diffused light that illuminates her face and upper body, drawing the viewer’s attention to her countenance.
The background is dominated by swirling clouds rendered in shades of blue and grey, creating an illusion of depth and vastness. This atmospheric perspective further emphasizes the figures elevated status, positioning her as a divine or allegorical presence within a cosmic realm. The overall effect conveys a sense of idealized beauty, power, and the promise of plentiful harvests.
Subtly, there is a suggestion of controlled power; while the lion represents raw strength, it remains subservient to the woman’s authority. Similarly, the childs role in harvesting implies a necessary but subordinate function within this system of abundance. The painting seems intended not merely as a depiction of prosperity, but also as an affirmation of order and dominion over natures cycles.