As one grazes descriptions of art we may describe as watercolors, gouache, or wash, French salons in the late 18th century also described these processes as aquarelle. Both royal and independent salons documented this description. An “aquarella” by de Peters appears in The Salon of 1776 of the Académie Royale de Peinture. A journalist’s description denotes de Peters work a “new type of painting” when featured again as “mixed aquarelle” in the 1779 Salon de la Correspondance by Pahin de las Blancherie. Blancherie, remembered for his Commercial Cabinet of Curiosity, indeed properly named as displayed objects such as the documented “three week old-calf with 3 heads” in 1782, gave opportunity for items and artists not accepted in The Salon exhibition in his shows. Women artists such as Marie-Victoire Lemoine, initially not allowed to participate in The Salon, displayed her miniatures and other mediums at the Correspondance. This “new type of painting” though already an established medium, manifests equitable acceptance of creative expression of both men and women in the independent salons.
Although still limiting inclusion of women, the Académie exhibits aquarelle as the century progresses. The Chevalier de Lespinasse, known for The Place Louis XV Seen from the Champs-Elysees, described his admission piece to the Académie painted “a la guasse et a l’aquarelle” in 1787. A few years later, Lemoine exhibits at The Salon after inclusion limits are lifted. The increase in salons in the 1790’s allow aquarelle to flourish as a respectable medium in these diverse intellectual environments.
References:
Auricchio, Laura. “Eighteenth-Century Women Painters in France”. Department of Art & Design Studies”, Parsons The New School for Design October 2004 https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/18wa/hd_18wa.htm.
Huisman, Philippe French Watercolors of the 18th Century. Viking Press, NY. 1969. p12
Auricchio, Laura. “Pahin de La Blancherie’s Commercial Cabinet of Curiosity (1779-87).” Eighteenth-Century Studies 36, no. 1 (2002): 47–61. http://www.jstor.org/stable/30053338.
Salonnière Aquarelle 