Jean-Honoré FragonardFrench, 1732–1806The Lock
Le Verrou
May one see it?
Yes, receiving visitors
Musée du Louvre
Room929, Aile Sully, Niveau 2Paris, France
On public display.
- Checked
- 7 days ago
- In this state since
- Sep 26, 2026
- Source
- The museum's own collection data
About the painting
The Bolt (French: Le Verrou), also known as The Lock, is a galant scene painted by Jean-Honoré Fragonard in 1777. It is one of the most famous paintings by the painter. The scene depicts a man and a woman entwined in a bedroom, the man reaching to the lock on the door. One interpretation suggests the scene shows two lovers embracing in a bedroom, with the man sliding the door bolt shut. Another interpretation posits that the scene depicts a rape, with the woman attempting to break free from the man's grasp as he locks the door to have his way with her.
Read on
The painting is preserved in the Louvre Museum, in the section of the Department of Paintings devoted to eighteenth-century French painting. This painting, a symbol of the libertine spirit of the 18th century, reflects the state of mind adopted by the painters of the era, notably that of François Boucher, one of Fragonard's teachers and a great representative of rococo painting.
Particulars
- Accession number
- RF 1974 2
Sources
- Musée du Louvre: the museum's own open data · fetched 7 days ago
- Image: Musée du Louvre — © 2020 GrandPalaisRmn (musée du Louvre) / Michel Urtado
Meanwhile, in the life of Jean-Honoré Fragonard
The whole life1778
Marguerite Gérard — pupil and assistant
Fourteen-year-old Marguerite Gérard, his wife's sister, became his pupil and assistant.
1780
Birth of his son Alexandre-Évariste
His son Alexandre-Évariste was born, who later became a talented painter, sculptor and lithographer.
26 October 1780
Son born: Alexandre-Évariste Fragonard
