Nicolas Lancret, an Antoine Watteau's poetic follower, had great admiration for the theatrical and musical arts, which were constant variables in his work. He entered Claude Gillot's studio in 1710 when the latter was head of sets and costumes for the Opera. Lancret met Watteau who encouraged him to attend theater performances in order to sketch from nature.

Lancret followed this advice accordingly and became an avid spectator of Parisian venues, where he befriended his future biographer Sylvain Ballot de Sauvot, an attorney at the Paris Parliament, writer and librettist close to Rameau and had many theater and opera personalities within his entourage.

Nicolas Lancret was able to meet through him writers, composers, actors and other artists such as the famous dancers Mademoiselle Sallé and Mademoiselle de Camargo whom he realized in portraits.