The Little Park

The Little Park — Jean-Honoré Fragonard. c. 1763.

Medium: etching. Dimensions: Sheet: 14.4 x 21.8 cm (5 11/16 x 8 9/16 in.); Platemark: 11.2 x 16.5 cm (4 7/16 x 6 1/2 in.).

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

One of Fragonard’s earliest etchings, this picturesque view of an imaginary terraced Italian garden is perhaps inspired by memories of the grounds at the Villa d’Este in Tivoli, where he spent time in 1760. Fragonard’s spontaneously scribbled, willowy lines and his choice of black-gray ink give the etching a silvery quality that evokes the hazy atmosphere of hot Italian summers. Beneath the sun-dappled foliage, between the lion statues, a young woman encounters a youth resting on the steps.

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.