Three Putti
1738â49
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-247-24
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
François Boucher, a leading figure of the French Rococo style, created *Three Putti* between 1738 and 1749. This charming print captures the artist's signature playful exuberance, featuring three plump, winged cherubs—known as putti—who frolic in a lighthearted tableau. Rococo art, flourishing under Louis XV's court, emphasized ornate decoration, sensuality, and mythological whimsy, and Boucher excelled at evoking these with his fluid lines and delicate shading. As a print, likely an etching or engraving after one of Boucher's designs, the work highlights the era's innovative reproductive tec...