L'Odorat (Smell) from the series Les Cinq Senses (The Five Senses)
1720–1770
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1924-15-134
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
François Boucher, a leading figure of the French Rococo style, created “L’Odorat” as one of five allegorical works exploring the senses. Active from the 1720s through the 1770s, Boucher was celebrated for his graceful figures, soft pastel palettes, and lighthearted scenes that captured the refined tastes of Louis XV’s court. The series format allowed him to personify sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell through elegant, often playful compositions that appealed to aristocratic collectors. In the eighteenth century, allegories of the five senses were popular in decorative arts and prints, serv...