François Boucher
Medium
etching and engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed within platemark): 36.4 × 25.7 cm (14 5/16 × 10 1/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
1979.25.1
Art Historical Context
This 1761 etching and engraving by Manuel Salvador Carmona reproduces a portrait of the celebrated French painter François Boucher, originally painted by Alexandre Roslin. Created during the height of the Rococo period, the print captures Boucher at the peak of his career, when he served as First Painter to King Louis XV and directed the French Academy. Reproductive prints like this one played a vital role in 18th-century Europe, allowing wider audiences to encounter the likenesses of leading cultural figures beyond the royal court. Carmona’s meticulous combination of etching and engraving te...