Artist Feature: François Boucher

Nonchalant artist and prolific strategist

Resting Maiden, 1751, Oil on Canvas, 59.5 x 73.5 cm, Wallraf–Richartz Museum

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An artist that defined an entire era, François Boucher and his works are iconic and are considered the very embodiment of the Rococo movement. Sensual, lighthearted, and perfected, his art relays a feeling of warm tranquility and muted decadence. He is most famous for being the favored painter of Madame de Pompadour, the notoriously beautiful and highly influential mistress of King Louis XV.

Portrait of Madame de Pompadour, 1756, Oil on Canvas, 212 × 164 cm, Alte Pinakothek

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Born in Paris in 1703, his father was also an artist by the name of Nicolas Boucher. Unlike the other great artists that we have featured in our blog and Instagram posts, it would seem that François was actually encouraged by his family to partake in a career in the arts. He received training from his father at an early age and his artwork would thoroughly impress François Lemoyne. Lemoyne saw talent and promise in the young Boucher, recruiting him to become an apprentice in his studio. Three months later, Boucher would leave and work for the engraving studio of Jean-François Cars.

I truly must emphasize how incredibly talented Boucher was from a young age. At only twenty years old, he won the Prix de Rome, an award given by France's National Académie for high artistic achievement. This is almost like winning the Pulitzer prize if you are a contemporary writer nowadays. It is so impressive if you consider the fact that Boucher never had any formal training, simply learned everything from trade and experience.

Though this award should have fully funded a trip to Italy for three years so he would be able to study the great masters, internal politics within the Académie caused Boucher to lose his funding. Instead, he continued to work towards his goals, taking private commissions until he had enough of his own money to go to Italy, just eight years later. There, he spent most of his time studying the art of Baroque.

As Boucher returned to Paris, he was inducted as an Académie member and gained massive recognition almost out of nowhere. The clientele he mostly catered to were upper-class Parisians and they gobbled every one his portraits up. Eventually, word reached King Louis XV and Boucher was quickly considered a national treasure.

At this time in Boucher's life, his style was primarily academic and mostly featuring large-scale mythological scenes and theater scenes. It was during this time, called his "mature period," he began to be involved in nearly every facet of the art world. From his typical oil paintings to tapestries and even fine china, his pale and ethereal forms were in quite a popular demand. His style was undeniable, the warm pastel color palette and soft lighting becoming a hallmark of his technique.

Let's also take a moment to acknowledge what a brilliant marketer he is. He literally placed his work on almost every decorative piece in 18th-century French society - think about the brand he built from this. His palette, organic linework, bright beauty, and generally happy subjects almost became his own kind of logo. Imagine looking at a smaller porcelain piece by him and you would automatically know his name or a person throws a gathering and you spot a tapestry, becoming curious and learning more about the artist - absolutely genius!

(First, Left) The Music Lesson, Chelsea Porcelain Manufacturing Company (with Boucher's Design), 1765, Soft-Paste Porcelain, 39.1 × 31.1 × 22.2 cm, 10 kg, Metropolitan Museum of Art

(Second, Right) The Collation from a set of the Italian Village Scenes, Designed by François Boucher, designed 1734–36, woven 1762, Wool and Silk, 330.2 × 259.1 cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art

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In the latter portion of his life, success was still prevalent but fleeting. He became the official painter of the king and also became the Director of the Académie Royale - this happened in the same year! However, the culture began to shift and the period of Enlightenment was teetering on the horizon. His works began to be admonished by scholars and critics for their frivolous and immoral nature, preferring pieces that harked on philosophy and morality. Gone were the days of pastel and joyous subjects and in came the rise of solemn Neoclassicism. However, he still continued to receive commissions from the aristocracy and never strayed from his style despite the daunting public judgment.

His end was nearing in the 1760s as he began to constantly fall ill and have trouble with his eyesight. In 1770, he abruptly passed away in the confines of his studio in the Palais de Louvre. Now, his name is synonymous with the Rococo movement.

And that's art.

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Sources

Stein, Perrin. “François Boucher (1703–1770).” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bouc/hd_bouc.htm (October 2003)

The Art Story Contributors. "François Boucher Artist Overview and Analysis." TheArtStory.Org, 15 Aug 2018. https://www.theartstory.org/artist/boucher-francois/life-and-legacy/