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 whimsical etching and engraving from Jean de La Fontaine's *Contes et nouvelles en* (1795), captures the playful spirit of the French fabulist's 17th-century erotic tales. Printed in Paris by the renowned Pierre Didot l'aîné during the third year of the French Republic amid revolutionary fervor, this luxury edition revived La Fontaine's cheeky narratives of love, deception, and human folly. The title, translating to "The Cuckold Beaten and Content," hints at a satirical bedroom intrigue, evoking the libertine humor that delighted 18th-century readers. Designed by Rococo master Jean Honoré Fragonard and engraved by Jean-Louis Delignon, the print exemplifies elegant 18th-century printmaking. Fragonard's fluid, sensual style—known for its frolicsome figures and intimate interiors—shines through in this second state of three (per Cohen-de Ricci cataloguing). Etching allows for delicate lines, while engraving adds precise detail, making high-quality reproductions accessible to collectors. The scene likely features women in a dressing room with dogs, screens, and chairs, blending domestic charm with subtle eroticism. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1933), this work bridges Rococo exuberance and revolutionary neoclassicism, showcasing Didot's innovative typography and paper. A delightful window into France's enduring love for witty, risqué storytelling! (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