The Louvre’s enigmatic painting par excellence.

These are the words that the painter and writer Bernard Dufour used to describe Pierrot, long known as Gilles, by Antoine Watteau (1684–1721). Though this strange character, dressed in white from top to toe, cuts a familiar, even iconic figure, this is a work of absolute originality. From its history to its composition, from its format to its iconography, everything about this piece captivates and intrigues.

Its origins remain unknown; the first confirmed mention of its existence only dates back to 1826. Interpreting this painting, inspired by the world of theatre and particularly by Pierrot, the most famous comedy character of this period, is also a difficult task.

Thanks to recent conservation work carried out at the Centre for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France (C2RMF), which has restored the painting to its former glory, the Musée du Louvre is finally able to give it the monographic exhibition it so richly deserves. The exhibition will explore this mysterious masterpiece, placing it back into the context of theatre life at the start of the 18th century and of the artworks produced by Watteau and his contemporaries. It will also touch on the fascination that Gilles has inspired all the way to the present day, influencing creators of all backgrounds from Fragonard to Picasso to Nadar, from André Derain to Marcel Carné. Each of these painters, authors, actors, photographers and filmmakers made a talented attempt at solving its captivating riddle.

The exhibition presents sixty-five works (paintings, drawings, engravings, books, photographs and film excerpts), including seven paintings by Watteau, thanks to the support of various French, European and American museums, including the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, the Wallace Collection and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

(Exhibition curator: Guillaume Faroult, Executive Curator of the Department of Paintings, Musée du Louvre)