A hundred drawings and painting of the artist are exhibited for the first time, until April 2, 2007, at Besançon.

These works, that Besancon has got from to the generous legacies at the XIXth century, are exhibited for the first time to the museum of the Art schools and archaeology.
Pierre Rosenberg, historian of art and member of the Academy-Frenchwoman, authenticated 93 of 123 exposed works.  “The current glory of Fragonard rests as much on its drawings as on its tables. One will note the extraordinary variety of the techniques of the drawings of the artist (...) like their subjects (...). One will be allured by their virtuosity and their elegance, their charm and their spontaneousness”, comments Mr. Rosenberg.
Part of the drawings was carried out at the time of the two voyages in Italy of the painter, who draws, crunches and seizes on sharp what it has under the eyes: characters, portraits, scenes of street, ruins ancient, landscapes of Roman countryside etc. Among works presented: the famous series of blood describing at the summer the 1760 gardens of the villa of Este with Tivoli, close to Rome, considered as one of the greatest successes of the art of the drawing at the XVIIIe century, as well as a rare portrait with the pastel of the painter, moving it “Portrait by old lady, said of Sophie”.
Exhibition “Fragonard of Besancon”, museum of the Art schools and of archaeology of Besancon, December 8, 2006 to April 2, 2007.