Painter born in Valenciennes, died in Nogent-sur-Marne, Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721) initially put himself at the pledges of the merchants of the New Bridge in Paris for poor works, then he carries out many panels of apartments in 1708 in the workshop of the palate of Luxembourg. His first success is a small military table Marche soldiers. He collects elements for tables in the town of Valenciennes occupied by the troops. Admitted with the Royal Academy of painting in 1712, he develops his talent with the Seasons, then the Loading for Cythère.