Le Lever

Art Historical Context

**Le Lever**, an exquisite engraving from 1771, captures the elegance of late Rococo France through the collaboration of painter Pierre-Antoine Baudouin master engraver Jean Massard Baudouin, a prominent figure in the playful, ornate Rococo style influenced by François Boucher, often depicted intimate domestic scenes. Massard, for his precise reproductive prints, translated Baudouin's original composition into this detailed engraving, measuring 10 7/16 × 7 9/16 inches. Produced just two years after Baudouin's death in 1769, it exemplifies how engravings democratized high art, making luxurious imagery accessible beyond elite salons. The title *Le Lever* ("The Rising" or "Getting Up") evokes the era's fascination with morning rituals and feminine grace, a staple of 18th-century French genre scenes. Engravings like this were prized for their technical virtuosity—fine lines and tonal gradations mimicking painting—allowing widespread dissemination of Rococo's sensual charm amid shifting tastes toward Neoclassicism. Acquired through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1954, this print resides in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, offering visitors a window into Enlightenment-era print culture and the artistry of reproduction. (178 words)

About the Artist

Pierre Antoine Baudouin|Jean Massard · 1723–1769

Comment on works: Genre; History; Allegory