Allegory Of Venus And Cupids. Oil On Canvas. Circle Of Boucher, François.

Allegory of Venus with Cupids. Oil on canvas. Att circle of BOUCHER, François (Paris, 1703- 1770).
The scene presents, in the background, an idyllic natural landscape, with trees on the left and an open horizon on the right, revealing orange clouds alluding to a sunset over rocky mountains. In the foreground, a young woman appears lying down, dressed in a white tunic, a red skirt and a blue coat, with a red ribbon in her hair; to her left, two cupids or cherubs appear, one with a garland of flowers and the other seems to hold the young woman by the coat. From an iconographic point of view, it could be Venus, although it is more common for the goddess to be presented half-naked or completely naked, so it is also possible that it is an allegory (given the crown of flowers, perhaps of spring). It is therefore possible that it is an allegory (given the crown of flowers, perhaps of spring). Or, in the case of a Rococo painting, it could also allude allegorically to a more abstract concept (virtue in the purity of love, etc.).
The oil painting is situated in the environment of François Boucher, a French painter considered one of the most important of the galant style, located in the Rococo. He was highly regarded for his paintings with idyllic themes, the voluptuousness of his treatment, his mythological, allegorical and pastoral works and for several portraits of Madame de Pompadour. He sought a very detailed finish in his works, with a somewhat particular palette. After a somewhat disrupted apprenticeship, he won the Prix de Rome in 1723 (which he would not be able to enjoy, due to lack of means, until four years later). On his return, he entered the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, of which he became rector, and also directed the royal Gobelins tapestry factory. He was appointed first painter to the king in 1765. In addition to his paintings, generally small in size, he also made illustrations for books, designed costumes and theatre sets, tapestries, porcelain, etc. His work is preserved in institutions such as the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, the Metropolitan Museum in New York, etc. -
Dimensions: 87x4x123 cms / int. 67x103 cm