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Why did theatrical costumes and stage lighting interest Antoine Watteau?

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Watteau, Antoine: Mezzetin — Antoine Watteau *Mezzetin*, oil on canvas by Antoine Watteau, 1718–20; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 55.2 × 43.2 cm.

Antoine Watteau’s interest in theatrical costumes and stage lighting stemmed from his fascination with the mechanics of scenic illusion, which he observed firsthand while working with the theatrical decorator Claude Gillot.1

By observing the theatre from the wings, Watteau discovered how artificial illumination interacted with makeup, brilliant costumes, and painted backdrops to create a sense of light and depth. He was particularly captivated by the colourful reflections of this artificial light on deep shadows and the performers themselves. This experience taught him that the spectacle of the stage was born from the equilibrium established among these elements, providing him with a source of inspiration that natural reality could scarcely match.1

Ultimately, this theatrical influence became a defining motif in his work, leading him to treat his subjects as if they were on a stage and to use his paintings as a chromatic transposition of the world of the opéra ballet.12