The Cupboard

The Cupboard — Jean-Honoré Fragonard. 1778.

Medium: etching. Dimensions: Sheet: 39.1 x 52.3 cm (15 3/8 x 20 9/16 in.).

Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

Fragonard designed this popular etching to delight his viewers, who spy on the dramatic scene like the eavesdropping servants in the background. A maiden weeps as her boyfriend, caught hiding in a wardrobe, sheepishly faces the girl’s angry parents. Rumpled bed sheets and the position of the hat give away the passionate activities of the young lovers. Comically, the hat with a broad ribbon held by the boy belongs to his girlfriend. His plain hat with a buttoned-up brim hangs in the cupboard.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.