Sleeping Bacchantes

Art Historical Context

**Sleeping Bacchantes is a delicate gouache on vellum by Jacques Charlier created after the renowned François Boucher in the third quarter of the 18 century. Measuring nearly 48 x 36 cm, this drawing captures a serene, mythological scene of Bacchantes—devotees of the wine god Bacchus—reclining in slumber. Boucher's influence shines through in the soft, voluptuous forms and playful sensuality typical of French Rococo art, evoking the lavish world of 18th-century aristocratic fantasy. Gouache, an opaque watercolor medium, lends the work a luminous, velvety quality on the fine parchment vellum, allowing for intricate details and vibrant colors that mimic oil paintings. This technique was prized in the Rococo era for its portability and jewel-like finish, often used for reproductive drawings that popularized famous compositions among collectors. Charlier's faithful rendition preserves Boucher's elegant style, bridging original invention with accessible artistry during a time when such copies flourished in ateliers. Now housed in the National Gallery of Art thanks to the generous gift of David H. McDonnell, *Sleeping Bacchantes* offers a glimpse into the indulgent myths that decorated the salons of Versailles. It reminds us how art captured fleeting moments of divine reverie, blending classical lore with the era's refined hedonism.