佩特（Jean-Baptiste Pater, 1695-1736）為十八世紀法國畫家，師承自同樣出生於瓦倫辛（Valenciennes）的安瑞‧華鐸（Antonie Watteau, 1684-1721），從顏色的運用上可以看出佩特沿襲華鐸（Antoine Watteau, 1684-1721）在繪製衣物時所擅長的絲綢光澤，以及在宴遊（Fête galante）題材上深受華鐸的影響，如華鐸主要的畫作為許多展現盛裝男女在戶外享樂的景象，這類主題畫作也大量出現在佩特的作品裡。但佩特整體的繪畫特色在於其人物輪廓線條的處理較華鐸更為修長與滑順、形狀更為明確，並賦予其人物更為生動的表現。

雖然許多資料顯示佩特為華鐸的追隨者，然而佩特畫作所營造出來的個人筆觸與畫面結構皆與華鐸相異，於十八世紀之時其知名度亦不在華鐸之下，已受到當時收藏家所喜愛，其中深具畫家個人特質的作品主題，如本幅畫作。

這是一幅描繪女子沐浴的畫作，透過佩特的安排我們可以由畫面左下角身著紅衣的女子，透過臉部表情及手勢將觀者帶到畫面中心，且與右邊紅色簾子呼應框住中心畫面，畫面中心的裸身女子被身邊的四位女子所環繞，更加凸顯出其角色的重要性，接著從拉扯簾子動作的女子將觀者的視線導向一位於窗邊偷窺的男子。女子們的動作與神色驚慌，畫面其他元素如狗咬住圍裙的拉扯、畫面右下角被打翻的銀器物，以及翻轉的簾子皆加深作品所欲傳達的慌亂氛圍；而畫面背景呈現著代表愛情的射箭丘比特的雕像與月女神浮雕，為此畫添加了愛情元素。透過這些人物的動作表情以及環境物件組合，此畫作表現出當時法國男女之間歡愉嬉鬧的樂趣與情趣。(張乃卉)

Jean-Baptiste Pater (1695-1736) was an 18th century French painter and student of Antoine Watteau (1684-1721) who came from Valenciennes as Pater. From the use of color, it is possible to perceive how Pater followed Watteau in expressing the luster of silk and satin, and how he was deeply influenced by Watteau in terms of the “fête galante” (courtship party). For instance, most of the paintings by Watteau show men and women enjoying themselves outdoors, and this kind of topic also often appears in Pater’s work. However, Pater made a smoother and more slender delineation of human features as well as clearer depiction of shapes. The actions of people depicted in his paintings also appear more spirited and lively.

Although many documents indicate that Pater was the follower of Watteau, Pater in fact developed his own unique strokes and composition clearly different from those of Watteau. He was on a par with Watteau in the 18th century. His works were widely acclaimed by contemporary collectors, and this painting is one of those that feature with the painter’s own unique artistic style. This painting depicts a bathing scene of a woman. Through the expression and gesture of the woman in red to the lower left, viewers turn to the center of the painting. The red on her also echoes with the red curtain to the right, and the two sort of frame the whole painting. Surrounded by four women, the naked lady in the center is clearly the most important one among them. Then, from the woman who pulls the curtain, viewers turn their focus to the man peeping by the window. The hurry-scurry atmosphere is strengthened through the women’s busy actions and panic expression, the dog biting a woman’s apron, the overturned silver utensils and the turning curtain. The sculptures of Cupid holding his bow and arrow and the relief of the lunar deity in the background add romantic elements to this painting. Through people’s actions and expressions as well as the combination of the objects, this painting shows a kind of joy and playfulness between contemporary French men and women. (Min Ling TSAI and Nai Hui CHANG)