Païsane Chinoise
1738-1745
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-246-4
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
François Boucher, leading figure of the French Rococo style (1703–1770), *Païsane Chinoise* (Chinese Peasant Woman) between1738 and 1745. As the favored painter of Louis XV, Boucher renowned for his elegant, playful depictions of mythology, pastoral scenes, and exotic themes. This print exemplifies *chinoiserie*, the 18th-century European fascination with imagined Chinese aesthetics, blending delicate Oriental motifs with Boucher's signature lightness, fluid lines, and sensual charm. Printed during the height of Rococo exuberance at Versailles, the work reflects France's cultural obsession wi...