Jean-Baptiste Pater

He was the son of sculptor Antoine Pater and studied under him before becoming a student of painter Jean-Baptiste Guide. Pater then moved to Paris, briefly becoming a pupil of Antoine Watteau in 1713. Watteau, despite treating Pater badly, had a significant influence on him. However the two quarreled and Pater returned to Valenciennes, where he remained for two years. Pater later claimed to have learnt everything he knew during those few weeks with Watteau. He was accepted into the Académie in 1728, presenting a large military work in the popular Watteau style: La Rejouissance des Soldats (Louvre). • Illustration — The Grape Harvest by Jean-Baptiste Pater, c. 1720 Pater adopted the popular Fête galante subject matter, heavily imitating his teacher Watteau—indeed he directly copied some of his figures. Pater used a traditional Rococo pastel palette. His most characteristic difference in style from other artists of the time surrounded his use of shimmering lines. His most prominent customer was Frederick the Great, who sat for two portraits in the "Turquerie" style: Le Sultan au Harem and Le Sultan au Jardin. One of Pater's most renowned works is Landscape with a Cart (Schloss Charlottenburg), which is considered to display a feathery application of paint that anticipates Francesco Guardi. The delicately constructed subject matter and figures subordination to the buildings represent a movement away from fête galante, a development that was cut short by Pater's death in 1736.

Training under Jean-Antoine Watteau is recorded. The recorded working language is French. The field of work recorded is erotic art. Works named in the authority record are Female Bathers in a Landscape and Fête galante in a Landscape. Work by Jean-Baptiste Pater is recorded in the collections of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Städel Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.

The authorities additionally record the headings Jean Baptiste François Pater, Jean-Baptiste Joseph Pater, Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Pater, J. Pater and Jean-Baptiste Paterre. His recorded language was French. He was the child of Antoine Joseph Pater.

Recognition and collections.