Mother with Two Children
18th century
Medium
Crayon-manner engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 4 15/16 x 7 1/4 in. (12.5 x 18.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1960
Accession Number
60.620.192
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Mother with Two Children** is a delicate 18th-century crayon-manner engraving attributed to François Boucher, the celebrated French Rococo master, and engraver Jurriaan Cwijk. Measuring just 4 15/16 x 7 1/4 inches, this intimate print captures a tender domestic moment—a mother cradling her two infants—exemplifying Boucher's signature style of graceful, playful scenes infused with warmth and elegance. Rococo art, flourishing in the opulent courts of Louis XV's France, often celebrated everyday joys like motherhood, making this work a charming reflection of the era's idealized family life. Th...
About the Artist
François Boucher|Jurriaan Cootwijk · 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...