The Fountain of Love was painted by Jean-Honoré Fragonard in around 1785.

Jean-Honoré Fragonard is a powerhouse of Rococo art. His paintings often depict exuberance, intimacy and subtle eroticism.

This painting depicts the garden of love, specifically the fountain in which Cupid dipped his arrow, giving it its powerful spell of love. The cherubs present this fountain to two young lovers, offering them both a drink from this magical water.

Fragonard’s work is beautiful and captivating, and I’ve been lucky enough to see this painting in person at The Getty Museum. The photo used in my artwork was one I took of the painting.

The Fountain of Love stands out from Fragonard’s other works. The color palette is much darker than that of other paintings in which he depicts gardens. Additionally, while many of his paintings portray passion in a whimsical and flirty atmosphere, this painting feels much more serious. To enhance this painting's inherent darkness and seriousness, I used Photoshop to overlay gothic drawings of my own, inspired by the work of Jack Carden.