Born in the city of Grasse in Provence in 1732. When the family moved to Paris, his father placed him in the office of a Notary Public but when the Notary discovered his ability at drawing, he convinced his parents to send the young Fragonard to the workshop of a painter. Thus it was that he went to the workshop of Boucher, one of the most famous painters of the time. But on seeing the novice ability of his new pupil, Boucher sent him to study with Chardin, one of the great painters in the history of art. Once Chardin had taught him the basic techniques, Boucher then accepted him as a pupil. He finished his studies in 1752 and Boucher advised him to present himself at the Rome Prize. To do this it was necessary to have studied art the Academy, but without this requirement Fragonard won the prize and enrolled at the “Ecole Royale des Eleves Proteges” in order to study under Carl van Loo. This Academy prepared artists to enter the French Academy in Rome.
In 1754 he was offered a position at the Academy but he stayed a year more in France before going to Italy. In this period he painted “The Saviour washing the Feet of the Apostles” for the Chapel of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Grasse. Once in Rome, he worked under the direction of Natoire. While he was studying under Hubert Robert at the Academy, he copied Roman paintings and landscapes of different artists, and this brought his art more towards the rococo, which he was to adopt.
At this time, the Abbot of Saint-Non arrived in Rome and became Fragonard`s admirer and protector. This allowed him to travel with Robert all over Italy, especially in Tivoli, Naples and Venice. There they studied both antique and modern works of art.
In March 1765, he placed his paintings under the judgement of the Academy and was accepted as an associate member for his “High Priest Coresus sacrificing himself to save Callirhoe”, which was acquired for the Crown by Marigny and for which he was offered an official workshop at the Louvre. He received royal commissions to decorate the Louvre and Bellevue.
Gradually he abandoned the official style of academic painting and dedicated himself to lesser themes as well as landscapes, on commissions from private clients. From then on he decided not to participate at the Biennial Salon.
He married Marie Anne Gerard in 1769 and had a daughter. Between 1772 and 1773 he travelled to the Netherlands and to Italy. On his return a most important event in his life occurred when he fell in love with his sister-in-law, Marguerite Gerard, who was living at his home at that time. His love became a deep passion and this was transmitted to the paintings of his more mature years. When the Revolution of 1789 broke out he returned to Grasse with his family. The Revolution brought about much grief to Fragonard as it destroyed everything that he loved. His clients and admirers disappeared and he shut himself up in a melancholy that prevented him from painting with his usual vigour, until his death in 1806.
