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Charlotte Mason Picture Study Aid Antoine Watteau

“A little, Mr. Claude Gillot!” said the man, with that proud smile which people wear when

they are flattered with having an important person in their house. Antony Watteau's confusion was

doubled when he heard a name which was then very celebrated. (Claude Gillot was born in 1673, a
pupil of Jean Baptiste Corneille. He had a great taste for grotesque figures, and he designed with

great success all the satyrs and the scenes of the opera. He died at Paris, in 1722; at the time of which

we speak, he was only twenty-nine.)

“How old are you?” said Claude Gillot, looking alternately at the artist and the picture.
“Seventeen,” said the boy, in a voice choking with emotion.

“And who is your master?” asked Claude.

Antony Watteau related his whole history, the motive which had conducted him to Paris,
and in what manner he had lived since he had been there.

“And you will sell this picture” asked Claude Gillot.

“Alas! Sir, I can’t sell it; for I want to sell it for ten shillings, and nobody will give me that.”

“I offer you 50 crowns for it!” said Claude, looking indignantly at the picture-dealer.
“You forget, sir,” said the merchant, “that this young man has no name.”

“But he has got talent, sir, and after that one soon gets a name, and I can answer for it, that

child will soon have one. Young man,” he said addressing himself to Antony, “you can’t think what

pleasure meeting you has given me. Your timidity, your extreme youth, the moderate price at which
you esteem your own work—all prove you have hitherto been unfortunate. As I am older than you,

and have the same profession, I will give you my support; come and live with me, you shall be my

brother—my friend.”
As you may imagine, Watteau willingly accepted this offer, and if, at first, he equalled [sic]

his master, he soon surpassed him altogether.

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