Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
The Fiancée of the King of Garbe: The Tree
Jean Honoré Fragonard French
Not on view
The salacious Tales of Jean de La Fontaine enjoyed great popularity in eighteenth-century France. Fragonard illustrated them in various series and versions over many years. While a few were eventually engraved, his drawings, which perfectly capture the gallantry and humor of the well-known stories, also appealed to collectors. This drawing shows Alaciel, a sultan’s daughter destined to marry the king of Garbe, allowing herself to be wooed by a Sudanese lord, Hispal, in a woodland setting.