Boucher, François (1703-1770)
La Toilette de Vénus (The Toilette of Venus)
1751
Oil on canvas, 108.3 x 85.1 cm
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Boucher executed this painting for Madame de Pompadour, the powerful, official mistress of Louis XV and Boucher’s most significant patron for nearly two decades. It was originally inserted into the carved and painted wood-panel walls of her Château de Bellevue, the construction of which prompted many commissions that became textbook examples of Rococo art. Boucher’s depiction of the goddess of love adorning herself with the help of putti encapsulates key features associated with this movement: overt theatricality, voluptuous flesh, and an asymmetrical unfurling of luxurious furniture, fabric, flowers, and pearls. (MET)
Companion:
Boucher, François (1703-1770)
Le Bain de Vénus
1751
National Gallery of Art, Washington
See also:
• Pompadour, Madame de (1721-1764)