Artwork Page for The Curious One

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The Curious One

1823

Antoine Pierre Mongin

(French, 1761–1827)
Culture
France, 19th century
Medium
oil on paper mounted to canvas
Measurements
Unframed: 43.5 x 34.6 cm (17 1/8 x 13 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Noah L. Butkin 1977.116
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

Here a young man uses a ladder to climb over a garden wall. The sign at his right translates into "School for Young Ladies under the Direction of Mrs. Wachsam"—wachsam being the German word for "watchful." Apparently, overcome by curiosity, the man cannot resist his desire to see the young women concealed behind the wall. Scenes with amorous, sometimes voyeuristic overtones are common in the work of Mongin. The artist also seems fascinated with depicting the exact details of his settings. In 1824, a critic who saw The Curious One wrote that Mongin's paintings are "portraits of houses coated in plaster, garden trees, almost trivial details, and this pleases me greatly. Full of naiveté, this is what I need in a landscape, as in a representation of man's actions." The critic's comments clearly demonstrate his appreciation for Mongin's work, as well as the artist's belief in the inherent relationship between nature and man.
A vertically oriented oil painting depicts a man with a light skin tone peering over a stone wall from a wooden ladder in the lower center. Beyond the wall, dense green trees fill the midground. To our left, a tan building with a tall chimney rises into a pale blue sky in the upper half. On the wall to our right, a dark plaque features text identifying the site as a school for young women.

The Curious One

1823

Antoine Pierre Mongin

(French, 1761–1827)
France, 19th century

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