This Painting Isn't As Innocent As It Seems. Here's Why. 

This painting is even included in children's art books because most people don't know what's going on.

I get why people would like it at a glance. Its colors are soft yet bright and attractive. There's this weird effect of everything looking cloudy and flowing (like the trees in the background and her gown). It is very dynamic as far as old paintings go. And tbh this interpretation just added another fascinating and engaging layer to the painting.

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how realistic that dress is? The shading, texture and depth is just phenomenal

Fragonard has always considered (even by himself) a licentious painter. This painting's original title is "Les Hasards heureux de l'escarpolette", which means "The sweet dangers of the swing". Quite self-explanatory, to me 😜😜

The use of this painting in Frozen is quite brilliant. Anna was engaged to Hans but fell in love with Kristoff at the same time. Also, in "The First Time in Forever" she was singing about finding the "special one." I do not believe that this was done unintentionally.

Fun fact: The painting inspired Tangled’s aesthetics and artstyle way before it was referenced in Frozen 😄

How could you miss the man looking up her dress!? To me it’s obvious and hilarious that it’s been seen as carefree . This woman knows exactly what’s going on !

Honestly, the first time I saw this painting, I giggled and blushed, because I immediately noticed how naughty it was. I’m surprised so many people thought it innocent. Great job analyzing all aspects of it. Love this channel! 😊💕

If you understand historical clothing, this is incredibly scandalous. A woman wore a shift, a plain gown, a pair of stays, (modern day corset), petticoats, and finally a skirt and bodice.The 2020 Emma with Ana Taylor Joy has a scene where she warms herself at the fire by lifting her dress and she is not wearing panties. Underwear as we know it was not used, It would have made it very difficult to use the restroom. Therefore the man looking up her skirt would have a direct view of her nether regions, especially with her legs akimbo. Ankles were not a big deal, skirts lengths were above the ankle, at the calf.

Disney uses a lot of hidden symbolism so I think they knew exactly what they were doing in frozen and used the painting as reference to the story’s upcoming love triangle , especially as it’s referenced during the song where she’s wanting to seduce a man, some of the other paintings she jumps into are a bit questionable too

i remembered falling in love with the swing when i saw it in my art textbook for the first time. for me, it was the most mystical piece i had ever saw and then my art teacher told us the 'malicious' story behind this piece-

I truly admire people who can interpret paintings with depth, I mean they have a way of seeing things beyond from what we see on the surface.

I always thought it was obvious she was deliberately tossing her shoe to her secret lover. I never knew anyone thought it was innocent. I also didn't know the commissioner was a lech and I certainly hadn't considered the nature of Georgian garb in respect to underwear 😅

Never did I ever think I'd find myself so interested in the stories depicted in paintings, you've really opened a whole new world for me

Fragonard is genius...The Stolen Kiss is my favorite, the way he captures the fabrics pfffff!!!. I absolutely adore his paintings. He truly knows how to captivate with his playful style. I first encountered his work many years ago, within the pages of some art books my family has.

Not everything is always as it seems. I respect the artist (and artists in general) for being able to portray a lot in just one painting and for fleshing out the hidden, darker sides of people. Paintings really are stories themselves. It's so fascinating to learn about these things. I love it. After watching two of your videos, I immediately subscribed. Thank you.

I don’t know. I thought this painting was a lot of things but not a love story. I mostly adored the use of color. The men dressed in blue blending into the natural green foliage and then an amazing contrast of pink to center the attention on the lady swinging. I love this painting

I never even noticed the people in the back. I genuinely always just admired how carefree and happy the woman looked. As if this was one of her most liberating moments where she can engage in play in such a restrictive society. I used to see her flinging her shoe as a rejection to society’s constrictions. Loved this video and I’m so glad I was able to finally notice the other people in the painting as well as hearing your critical analysis 💖

This is insane! I didn’t even know more than half of the small little details you pointed out! This painting is so beautiful, yet so deceiving at the same time!

You are, by far, my favorite content creator on RU-vid. Your knowledge of art history is beyond, your deep dives are fascinating and you are absolutely hysterical. Your stuff is SO good, seriously.

I don't know what kind of mystical fairy garden you came from, but you are such a breath of fresh air among artsy RU-vid channels :D. I love your videos, I love that you post them often enough, and I hope you get at least a few million subscribers because you certainly deserve them!

This is one of my favourite paintings! Thank you for doing a video on it. Perhaps it is very basic of me, but I primarily like it for it's colours. I adore the way the pink of the dress practically glows in the verdant shade of the garden.

I love classical art such as this. But what I love even more are the "Easter eggs" that playful/spiteful/heretical artists chose to "hide in plain sight" within their works. Love your channel and content. You've earned a new subscriber. Cheers.

You shed light on paintings that had a story to tell, but someone like you needs to tell it. Thank you for sharing!

It really is a beautiful painting, there's no denying that... I've always found it very unsettling myself, even without knowing the meaning behind it. Somehow the idea of the guys half hidden away and either partially, or fully hiding/standing in shadows creeped me out more than I enjoyed looking at the painting's beauty.

I am not an appreciator of art, but you are really opening my eyes to look more at the nuances of the detail. Thank you very much.

This is an excellent interpretation. My first take on this painting--and I'm not an art major--was unease. Too many dark places with questionable goings-on. You have pointed these out so well. Yet the painting is quite a drama of subtlety; the tiny cues work to set the mood without calling attention to themselves. I especially appreciate the frayed rope, telling us that all is coming down, and soon. Also, note the anchor points for the two ropes, there at the top of the trees. The trunk is bare at both points, twisted and ugly. And rope in a tree offers quite a message.

I love how you analyze these paintings!! This is my favorite so far!

I read a book called "the book of courtesans" which made the claim that this is a picture of one of the most popular courtesans at the time with her then patron (who the writer names) being the man hiding below her. I forget their names at the moment, unfortunately. The man in the background might still be her husband, or just a servant. This is one of my favorite paintings, partly for its scandalous nature

Surprising that the very obvious symbols are being overlooked here. Yes, the swing between the husband and the lover is calling into question the fidelity of the marriage and the shoe being kicked off or lost at the peak of the swing is certainly suggestive of a carefree bearing. I would go further and point out the 'back and forth' motion of the swing is quite intentional and the very shape, folds and colour choice of the hem of that dress is even more overt. We tend to imagine that people of bygone eras were extremely prudish and and innocent but they were the same as we are now.

I found this exact video years ago in Middle school- I’m now a freshman in college doing a project on it for an Art History class. Your video was the first thing that came to my mind when we were given the assignment, so I immediately decided to choose it. Thank you!

So fabulous! I’ve always loved this whimsical, romantic painting. Learning more context makes it even more interesting! Thanks for your fantastic work!

I KNEW NOTHING UNTIL I DECIDED TO DO A PRESENTATION ON THIS PAINTING FOR SCHOOL AND THATS HOW I FOUND OUT HOW "raunchy" THIS ACTUALLY IS. AND I HAD TO KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE DOING A FULL ANALYSIS OF THIS PAINTING IN FRONT OF MY ENTIRE ART HISTORY CLASS and it was hard (to keep a straight face) I tell you. Very very hard 😂😂

I wasn't that impressed by the painting at first, but as more and more details were shown I was completely amazed by the storytelling. It's amazing how much you can tell with a single picture. Also, it's only my take but her shoe is headed straight to the angel's face. Would that be a sign that her secret is about to be blown?

I have studied and loved this painting, due to how subtly risque it was... and never one time noticed that little white dog. It just blends into the flowers!

wow, never deep dive this painting but now that I discover your interpretation of the painting, i kinda love it more. I always find myself drown and fascinated by discovering things or the truth.

I love the painting except for the eyes. They eyes in this piece are just down right creepy. I always wondered if the artist just didn’t do eyes well or if he means for them to look creepy. In his other works, again, there are some creepy eyes but then some are just ok.

OK I keep seeing the curved heels that emerged in the 18th century referred to as "kitten heels". They are NOT kitten heels (from the 1950s-60s) which are short and spiky, they are COURT heels. Makes sense, right?

These videos make me miss the best parts of art history classes! Lovely! Always loved the softness and playfulness of this piece. 🥰 And how could we forget those evocative little Puttini?

Absolutely love this channel, this painting and your analysis. Keep up the great work.

This explanation makes the painting even better! I like how the lady is the only one who is brightly colored, while everything else is muted greens, blues, and grays. The lighting is fantastic.

The heel is also a nice detail. While reading an analysis on Olympia (Manet), i saw that one of the things that add to the sensual aura of the woman is that she's only wearing one heel, which references the world of sex work and fetish. So this woman kicking up her heel carelessly isn't just a playful act, it's a reference to her sexual life

My favorite of your presentations (so far). Loved learning about a favorite. Thank you.

This is fascinating! I have seen photos of this painting many times, and just realized that I had never truly looked at it!

I find it hilarious that 'The Swing' was scandalous for showing the ladies leg/ankle but the work (7:11) by the same artist shows a bare breasted woman and was totally acceptable.

I love old paintings like this regardless if its sketchy or not. The flowing cloth on her dress the way the hands are drawn, the flowers.

Now I am hooked on stories behind such artwork. I love it!

I love your narrations with the fun sound effects! I'm learning about classic art pieces beyond their surface stories

The ankle thing is a myth. People saw ankles all the time. Especially on lower-class people where wearing long skirts was just impractical and made working hard. The scandal comes from the fact that with the underwear worn at the time (aka only shifts and petticoats) the guy can see straight up to her private parts.

I got to see this painting (and Frans Hals' The Laughing Cavalier!) up close in person back in April at The Wallace Collection when I was in London. It's so beautiful in person, it had just been recently cleaned. The technique used to highlight the leaves in the trees is one of my favorite parts of it. It's also fun when you realize how "scandalous" it is/was with the clothing and the man lying down getting a view up her skirt. Love this one. At the time, The Wallace Collection was hosting a Disney exhibit called Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts. It focused on how the French Rococo style had influenced several of their films like Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast so this painting was on display with other French Rococo objects and Disney sketches and art that was inspired by it. There was art from Tangled and Frozen that was inspired by this painting. If I remember correctly, I think it was for Beauty and the Beast where animators spent a lot of time at The Wallace Collection gallery studying the artifacts and design and paintings from the French Rococo time period.

As for me, everything is simple and clear. Thank you very much

Thank you! That was a great tutorial!

Just want to say all your videos are incredibly well constructed. Your quick, whimsical little added details fit so perfectly. I’m actually beginning, from watching your videos, to see a lot of art completely differently than I used to. And I like that.

I think the interpretation of the elements in the painting is brilliant ! So much hidden in the background . The painting is very well done and the colours are vibrant . I remember the older people having such art , when I was a child , mostly French art and sculptures . Some of the sculptures were business in the front and party in the back and I was always embarrassed and taken back by the sculptures because it was very easy to tell their meaning .

Wow you broke this whole painting down! That's amazing 👏 😍

The way you explained it was very good. It was as if I was reading a mystery novel and new twists were being uncovered slowly. Thank you.

As an art lover and as an artist, I truly love your channel and am learning so much from you. Thank you for your insightful and charming commentaries! They are well paced, informative, just the right length and very accessible for novice art admirers and the more educated alike. Bravo!

A print of this painting hung above my husband's maiden aunt's fireplace. She was very prim. I had a giggle every time I saw it... if only she knew!

There’s so much detail in this lil swing painting

You're my newest channel and I'm going to binge watch everything you've done. I adore your work!

This has been one of my favorite paintings for a long time, but i have never actually looked into the meaning and history behind it. Thank you so much for this analysis!

I love these breakdown of these romantic/innocent looking paintings/art pieces. I am awful for seeing hidden details in things. So this is amazing! 👍

At a museum in Canada, I saw several paintings from an artist I believe was named Poole. The subjects were usually nude toddlers warming themselves at fireplaces after a bath. I asked a docent if they were considered shocking or pornographic. He said that in that time toddlers were not considered sexual objects, but nude adults would have been. Times change.

This is one of my favorite paintings! Thank you for making this!!

It's incredible how you were able to derive so much meaning from this painting, and turn it into such an enjoyable video even for someone who doesn't care about art.

Also, dogs are loyal, meaning that she isn't loyal. Wow, there are so many hidden messages in this art! I love it! >

This is a very beautiful painting. I could look at it for hours.

Art like this is so much fun. I like how it took the original idea for the commission (which was mostly self-serving raunchiness) and transformed it into a piece exploring power, secrecy, and human emotion.

7:45 maybe that’s why it was referenced at frozen, because things aren’t exactly as they seem. Like the way prince Hans approach Anna with hidden intentions.

I am very fascinated by this! Hearing the backstory of one of the most beautiful "troll" commissions I've ever seen, is simply amazing! Great video and now I'm subscribed.

Awesome video. Thanks.

Stumbled on this channel by accident and now I don't want to leave. I had no idea I had such a burning interest in behind the canvas stories of paintings I may or may not have known about beforehand.

I love the narrator who does an excellent job of putting so many elements together.

I absolutely love this. I hope you will do longer ones in the future. I think Fragonard’s work looks like baroque music sounds and I can almost smell the leaves and the black jade perfume. It’s so much like a dream, even though the painting is about misbehaving, it’s hard not to like all of the figures. There’s another one of his paintings, Reverie, I believe it’s called. It’s part of his “progress of love“ series. That’s all a bit naughty.

You really need to be seen in every art class. These are brilliant!

Thanks Art Deco!! I enjoyed that!!

This is fascinating- takes me back to my art history days in college where we would deep dive into every detail about works of art. Thank you for this!

*_I'm_* in awe that I was able to find this gem of a channel. Art plus history!? I'm in love!

Love your analysis of paintings love them! Please keep it up!

I didn’t know I needed this haha. This was so so interesting I was so mesmerised by the way you spoke…what a great video. Thank you :)

I remember liking this when I took art history some time ago. The colors and subject are so appealing and a swing alludes to kinetic movement which seems pretty fun for a painting! This period is leading up to the murderous end of the French Revolution, all the decadence oozes thru the canvas.

Just now discovered your channel. The painting got my attention. Never heard of the artist before now. Very interesting look into the painting. Going to check out your other videos. I love art and learning the story of how things came about.

These videos are so well done. Beautiful and inspiring.. 👏👍 Thank you!

Your narration is outstanding: informative, well spoken (enunciation, warm tone and voice, etc.) and the hilarious and playful sprinkling of sarcasm, e.g. ..."Saddle-in and grab some popcorn." 😂😆 You're great! Not only are your videos informative, educational and engaging, they are very entertaining and funny. Well done!

We learned about this in art school and it’s my favorite painting of all time. But yeah this is exactly what we had talked about. Great video!

OMG....I have always loved this 'innocent and romantic" painting. I had NO IDEA of the true meaning. Thank you so much!!!

I definitely liked this painting before, but the subtext is so rich! Makes me really appreciate this work.

I lol'd all throughout this video. Thanks! Amazing use of contrasting colors.

i really thought something was off about this picture and thought it was boring but now knowing its story i can just silently admire this pure work of art

I just discovered your channel rn, and watching it is so good. Just from the fact that you can literally find the tiniest detail from a painting can "open" the secrets they behold. That's some good content.

Thank you for this video!

his paintings are all so pretty and beautiful!!!!! i love the colors he uses

3:34 Our teacher told us that is her servant lol

Thank you for this.🌹 It has long been one of my favorite paintings for the very reasons you state. For me the fact that it's "risque" takes nothing away from the playfulness and beauty of it. Fragonard is one of my favorite painters, the old rascal! 😉

Terrific!! Thank you!

Stumbled on this channel because of the painting. I've always liked it and really appreciate your presentation. I'm a fan of European history associated with aristocracy and royalty and the like. As you were pointing out the not so obvious artistry embedded in this painting, it immediately gave me the King Henry VIII/Catherine Howard/Culpepper/Lady Rochford vibe. Old King, young flirtatious wife, young handsome lover and match making secret keeping not really a friend watching it all happen. All free and fun, but soon tragedy as depicted by the two onlookers. Really enjoyed this.

This painting is absolutely wonderful and I just adore this painting style! Thank you so much!!

This is probably my all time favorite painting out there; I knew a small bit of the background but the new pieces of information I just learned only solidified this as a favorite haha

Brilliant explanation, beautiful Painting, thx

Fascinating analysis. Thank you for posting.