Le Gout (Taste) from the series Les Cinq Senses (The Five Senses)
1720â1770
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1924-15-137
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
François Boucher's "Le Goût (Taste)," part of his series "Les Cinq Sens (The Five Senses)," captures the playful spirit of 18th-century French Rococo art. Created between 1720 and 1770, this work reflects Boucher's signature style—light, elegant, and sensual—where figures often embody pleasure and refinement. As one of the era's most celebrated artists, Boucher frequently explored mythological and allegorical themes that celebrated the joys of everyday life. The theme of the five senses was popular in European decorative arts during the Rococo period, symbolizing human experience through char...