Seduction and eroticism were central themes of 18th century French art and culture, perhaps most perfectly expressed in Fragonard's masterpiece, The Stolen Kiss - one of the jewels of the Hermitage's collection. Taking this painting as a starting point, the exhibition brings together an wide range of material from the Hermitage including paintings, drawings, furniture, decorative arts and a recently discovered group of prints depicting scenes from the education of Eros to explore these themes in a way never before attempted.
Housed in the 18th century Hermitage Rooms, the exhibition recreates the atmosphere of contemporary French stories of 'architectural seduction' in which objects of art and furnishings aided the seduction of impressionable young women who mistake their suitors' fine tastes for honourable intentions. Building on the research of scholars from the Courtauld and the Hermitage, the exhibition reveals the complex language of eroticism and seduction in 18th century French culture and society as manifested by the Hermitage's rich collection of fine and decorative arts.