A Poorly Dressed Peasant
1755/70
Medium
Etching on tan laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 11.3 × 7.1 cm (4 1/2 × 2 13/16 in.); Sheet: 13.6 × 9.3 cm (5 3/8 × 3 11/16 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
149513
Art Historical Context
François Boucher, a master of the Rococo style, captures everyday life in his etching *A Poorly Dressed Peasant* (c. 1755–70). Known for his lavish, playful depictions of mythology and aristocracy, Boucher here turns to a humble figure—a ragged peasant—offering a rare glimpse into the rustic underbelly of 18th-century France. This small-scale print, housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings department, reflects the era's growing fascination with genre scenes amid the opulence of the Ancien Régime, just before the French Revolution highlighted social divides. Etched on tan l...
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...