Contes et nouvelles en vers: A Femme avare galant Escroc, from "Les Contes de la Fontaine"

Art Historical Context

This etching from 1795 captures a lively scene from Jean La Fontaine’s *Contes et nouvelles en vers*, a collection of witty and often playful tales first published in the seventeenth century. The print, titled *A Femme avare galant Escroc* (“A Miserly Woman, a Gallant Swindler”), belongs to an elegant edition issued by Pierre Didot l’aîné. Designed by Jean-Honoré Fragonard and engraved by Jacques Aliamet, it reflects the Rococo artist’s signature flair for lighthearted, intimate narratives drawn from French literary tradition. Rendered in etching during its first state, the work depicts an elegant domestic interior complete with figures gathered near a couch and desk, where coins and everyday objects hint at the story’s themes of deception and desire. Fragonard’s fluid line and sense of movement bring warmth and humor to the composition, while the inclusion of a watchful dog adds a touch of everyday charm. Such illustrations helped keep La Fontaine’s verses alive for new generations of readers at the close of the eighteenth century. As a fine print acquired by the Metropolitan Museum through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, this sheet highlights the enduring appeal of book illustration as both art and storytelling. It invites viewers to appreciate how eighteenth-century artists transformed classic French literature into visually engaging works meant for private enjoyment and cultural conversation.

About the Artist

Jean de La Fontaine|Jean Honoré Fragonard|Jacques Aliamet|Pierre Didot l'ainé (French|French|French) · 1621 |1750 | –1695 |1780 |

French, Château-Thierry 1621–1695 Paris|active ca. 1750 (?)–1780|Paris