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Lot Essay
The appearance of this delightful painting, long thought to be lost and known only from an engraving, can be hailed as an exciting rediscovery that illuminates one’s understanding of Boucher’s early career. Standing barefoot on a dusty path, Boucher has lent this humble farm girl the graceful pose of a dancer. Brightly-attired, clad in ribbons and flowers, she proves irresistibly attractive in her rustic simplicity. An image of absolute charm and innocence exhibiting the artist’s characteristically loose and vivacious handling, this picture seems to announce Boucher's later pastoral landscapes, populated by similarly pleasing rose-cheeked youths engaged
in some playful rural task.
This Peasant girl was most probably painted during Boucher’s sojourn south of the Alps, where he completed his artistic formation from 1728 to 1731. It was part of a set of six pictures depicting Italian women in various costumes, the rest of which were painted by Nicolas Vleughels, the director of the French Academy in Rome (two of which are in New York, Suida-Manning collection). In this picture Boucher explores, with remarkable freshness and spontaneity, the play of light on a single figure. According to the engraving’s caption, the present picture depicted a farm girl from Ferrara, a city that Boucher may have visited on his way south in 1728. Among other distinguished 18th century French collections, this picture belonged to Boucher’s successor at the helm of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, the renowned sculptor Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.
in some playful rural task.
This Peasant girl was most probably painted during Boucher’s sojourn south of the Alps, where he completed his artistic formation from 1728 to 1731. It was part of a set of six pictures depicting Italian women in various costumes, the rest of which were painted by Nicolas Vleughels, the director of the French Academy in Rome (two of which are in New York, Suida-Manning collection). In this picture Boucher explores, with remarkable freshness and spontaneity, the play of light on a single figure. According to the engraving’s caption, the present picture depicted a farm girl from Ferrara, a city that Boucher may have visited on his way south in 1728. Among other distinguished 18th century French collections, this picture belonged to Boucher’s successor at the helm of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, the renowned sculptor Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.