Pair Of 18th Century Watercolors

Heads of expression, or Dreamers Pastel on paper. Golden pearl baguette frames. End of the 18th century. Pair of paintings with busts of women in ovals. Each is presented languidly, the head resting on a cushion, dressed and wearing “curls”, a fashion in vogue under Louis XVI. One features a blooming rose. The artist, anonymous but who perfectly masters the technique of pastel, uses this subtle medium to suggest that we go further. The tones are very soft, and the poses suggestive, giving off a certain latent eroticism. In fact, and without slavish imitation but on the contrary an “actualization”, these two works take up a composition by the painter François Boucher (1703-1770), “The voluptuous” (1757). Admittedly, the breast is no longer so uncovered, and the bodice is laced ... But the ecstatic gaze of the young women raises at least one question as to the origin of this smile. Are they lost in dreams? What are these dreams? What is going on in these heads is it so wise?