Le Cocu battu et content, from "Contes et nouvelles en vers par Jean de La Fontaine. A Paris, de l'imprimerie de P. Didot, l'an III de la République, 1795"

Art Historical Context

**Le Cocu battu et content**, a delightful etching and engraving from 1795, illustrates one of Jean de La Fontaine's cheeky *Contes et nouvelles en*—witty, verse tales blending satire, humor, and subtle moral lessons. This first-state proof, part of a luxurious Paris edition by Pierre Didot l'ainé during the French Republic's Year III, captures a playful domestic scene with men, women candlesticks, and of dressing, evoking bawdy spirit of La Fontaine's "The Cuckold Be and Content." Designed by Rococo master Jean Honoré Fragonard and likely engraved by Jean-Louis Delignon, it reflects the era's blend of aristocratic elegance and revolutionary fervor. Printed amid the French Revolution, this work stands out for its opulent production by Didot, a premier printer known for neoclassical typography and fine illustrations. Fragonard's lively, sensual style—full of movement and intimacy—infuses the Rococo tradition into a print medium, showcasing etching's fluid lines and engraving's precise details. At 13 7/16 × 9 7/8 inches, it's a gem from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection, acquired via the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1933. This piece highlights La Fontaine's enduring cultural legacy: his fables and contes entertained Enlightenment elites while poking fun at human follies, making high art accessible through masterful prints. A perfect peek into 18th-century French wit! (198 words)

About the Artist

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

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