The Laundress
1756
Medium
Etching, with traces of engraving, in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 31.5 × 22.5 cm (12 7/16 × 8 7/8 in.); Sheet: 33.3 × 24.7 cm (13 1/8 × 9 3/4 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
129379
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
A shrewd entrepreneur, François Boucher worked across media and helped define the elaborately ornamental Rococo style. He produced paintings, drawings, book illustrations, and designs for porcelains and textiles that were collected by a diverse clientele, from the middle class to King Louis XV. Over 1,500 prints were made by other artists after Boucher’s compositions, greatly fueling his popularity. The Laundress, however, in a rare impression before lettering, is one of 32 prints drawn and etch...
About the Artist
François Boucher · 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...