Allegory of Painting
1765
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 101.5 x 130 cm (39 15/16 x 51 3/16 in.) framed: 129.5 x 157.5 cm (51 x 62 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CF
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Accession Number
1946.7.1
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
François Boucher’s *Allegory of Painting* (1765) captures the graceful spirit of the French Rococo period. As one of the era’s most celebrated artists, Boucher served as court painter to Louis XV and favored light, decorative subjects drawn from mythology and allegory. Here, he personifies the art of painting itself, celebrating its elegance and imaginative power through soft forms and luminous color. Painted in oil on canvas, the work showcases Boucher’s signature fluid brushwork and delicate palette, techniques that lent Rococo paintings their airy, intimate charm. Created at the height of ...
About the Artist
François Boucher · 1703–1770
François Boucher (1703–1770) stands as the quintessential master of French Rococo painting and the most celebrated decorative artist of the 18th century. Born in Paris to a lace designer, Boucher created a visual language that perfectly embodied the refined taste, sensuality, and elegance of Louis XV's court. His prolific output—encompassing paintings, tapestry designs, theatrical sets, and decora...