A series of looks and gestures connects the three figures in the painting The Swing, creating an inverted triangular shape that visually reinforces their roles in this love triangle. An elegant young woman in a billowing pink with a shepherdess hat on her head who swings inside a lush garden is in the center of the space. Her gown glides through the air. As she swings high, she throws her left leg up, allowing her dainty shoe to fly through the air. It is illuminated by a strong light coming from above, and the imaginative trees form an oval frame for action in the center. At the base of the large pedestal lies a smiling young man, supporting a statue of Cupid, who watches from above him on the left with its finger in front of its lips in a sign of silence. Partially hidden by an overgrown rose bush, he peers wide-eyed up the open skirt of the swinging woman. On the far right, an older man, almost hidden in the shadows, seated on a stone bench propels and operates the swing with a pair of ropes. Pair of cupid figures cuddled together watch from beside him, on the right and a small dog is barking in the lower right-hand corner, in front of him.
Emphasizing the free and easy nature of the theme, Jean-Honoré Fragonard uses fluid brushstrokes, keeping the soft edges on the main figures. Soft dappled sunlight filtered through the trees and backlighted them, infusing the scene with a soft, seductive glow. The light hits the young woman on the swing, highlighting her fair skin and the creamy billows of fabric that swirl around her. In contrast, other aspects of the painting remain in shadow. The colors are pastel — pale pinks and greens. The joyful exuberance of the painting is accentuated by the way that the frills of the woman's dress match the pattern of the surrounding foliage, as well as by its glowing pastel colors and soft lighting.
