Chinoiserie scene with figures in a landscape
18th century
Medium
Etching and engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 20 15/16 x 13 11/16 in. (53.2 x 34.8 cm) Plate: 13 1/8 x 9 1/8 in. (33.4 x 23.2 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1957
Accession Number
57.559.45(2)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting 18th-century etching and engraving captures the playful spirit of Chinoiserie, a European fascination with imagined Chinese and East Asian motifs. Created after a design by François Boucher—one of the foremost painters of the Rococo movement—the print was skillfully translated into print by engraver Gabriel Huquier. The scene features elegantly posed women amid lush landscapes, fanciful houses, and musical instruments, all rendered with the light, decorative grace typical of Rococo aesthetics. Measuring roughly 13 by 9 inches on the plate, it exemplifies how prints brought luxu...
About the Artist
François Boucher|Gabriel Huquier|Gabriel Huquier · 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...