Seated female nude
1742
Medium
Red chalk, heightened with white on beige paper
Dimensions
12 3/8 x 10 3/8 in. (31.5 x 26.4 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Walter C. Baker, 1971
Accession Number
1972.118.197
Tags
Art Historical Context
François Boucher, a master of the Rococo, created this *Seated Female Nude* in 1742, capturing the sensual elegance that defined 18th-century French art. As the favored painter of King Louis XV and his mistress Madame de Pompadour, Boucher infused his works with playful, voluptuous forms inspired by mythology and classical antiquity. This drawing exemplifies his fascination with the female body, rendered with a delicate grace that celebrates beauty and vitality amid the opulent courts of Versailles. Executed in red chalk heightened with white on beige paper, the medium allows for exquisite su...
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...