100 Great Artists

1701

1720

1721

1728_11

1711

1711

1714

I7W

17H

176!i

1770

FRAN<;:orS BOUCHER

B()rn in Pari" JOn

of an "m/mNdny

dmgn<1"

Apprmli"d a, an

mgrat-.,- 10 Can,

/"'<1" m'", nllllio,

ofumuy",

W;", Ib, Prir d,

Ro"",

Studi" in Rom,

Admi,,,,! IlJ th,

AGllJimr Ruylll'

a, a bi'llJry pai"'<1"

Marri" iIIari,·

J,a"''' &"au,

'bry Ja," bat"

,b= childrm

BrnJm"a M'lnkr

ofth, ,-J.oom'Y

and, I",,,,

Profoor and

R<CllJr

G",m pa"Mag'"

Mad"m, d,

Pompaoour

BrnJm" dirUllJr if

,b, R"Jal Goo.bm

fMory

Mad, Fim

Pai"'lT" '" I1mit

XV

Oi" in Pari,

Othli,,! ue (1745)

Bouch" oomir.d lI~n",u, ,;:l](m ""'} b, nl</Ji<d and "pod""d ilJ

mgrat'ingr in bi, youth. H<r~'n .. ", ,b, "",,,Ill odab'quu tbat Bouch" prud""d

f()r /.Qui, XV and t'ario'" ()lim-pit-"" cirnn 'Inn a far cry from 'k

Acadnny-apprm-<d f<~e gabn"', 1.."bi,b barhd Inx} '" an <1"a " ro,,,,ly Im-,_

Hi, "tIt",;,-, 1""ng ",",/Illn ilY' t~ry m",b of 'Ii<ir .,,'n tim,: 'Th, pmy tbing

i,tb, ",u} Oftli< ag' _ and tb, gmiU! if Boucb"'

F

rench art of the rightttnth Ct:ntury took

its cue from the hedonistic COurt at

Versailles and espttiallr fmm Louis

",Y', mi,rress M .. dame de Pon~l1dour, wh(",e

f,,,,urite anist w'1s FrJ."'.,';< Ro..,he"

Roucher was the supn:me cxponent of

Roc c.::o, a lu_mrious d,-'::o1'1ti,'e strle, which

sensuous, light.hcar",d m}~h,~ogi<:":ll subjectS:

godde><e< and cupids cOl'orting happilr

.nl(lngSt the douds mim,.-ed the self.

indulge,",e of the Frmch ar;'t[)er'1<:)--.

AC'l<itmic ohje",io.,s were rais,,!, hmh to

il<,..,her's subject matter and use of ,,~our. but

these were as much against the self· made

dominated the wulthiest home interiors. M .. rquise de Poml'''[our'. I"""etfull""nnagt:

Aln:adr an cxttllmt draugh~'11lan. he rrained as against il<",cher himself. After all. was it ,"It

with Lm",)',",. the ttiling anist at Versailles: u,uallr ari'tocratic mm who commissioned

fnml Lmlo}TIe I-.:: l<:":lrn",l" ,'erS:ttile technique picru",< of enticing. pearlr nudes?

that he apl~ied to all the de"" .... ti," 3Jts he .. "1< il<JUcher .. "1< "LTr hard wo.-ling: he would

engagt:d in. fr,. " "'I""")' to I",.-ttlain designs. oftm 'pe.-.I twel,'e ",urs , dar at his e"--.:I and

After thn:c J'e'1rs in Rom". lIouch,,, tti",1 1'1n" busr Studio where F1'1g()flard ,,"1< 01'" of

dL,nonsrrating his seriousness with a h::w hi"",y his pupils, lIe <lid h,", a hcautiful ... ife with

paintings, Rut they were not to the curr<TIt ttstC exp"n,i", "'->les that he ""1< ohligt:d nl please.

Or fashion of the timt. so he ... mt f,,.-the m("'t but dedan:d he would "",'er wi,h to exchangt:

luenti,'c ,,'nllnissiof1S and wOn fame ... ith his his Ca"'LT foO' '11)-' o. her,