François Boucher (1703 - 1770)

French painter

François Boucher, French painter, born in Paris. Boucher learned the first principles of painting from his father Nicolas, a member of the Académie de Saint-Luc. He was apprenticed by his father to François Lemoyne, a history painter. Although he only stayed there for three months, several early paintings show the influence of Lemoyne. In 1723 he won the Grand Prix, which included a stay at the French Academy in Rome. As the was no room at the Academy, it would take five years before Boucher went to Italy, at his own expense. The intervening years were spent in the household of the engraver Jean-François Cars, where he learned the principles of printmaking. He used his experience working for the print publisher Jean de Jullienne where he produced numurous etchings after compositions of Jean Antoine Watteau. Little is known about his three year stay in Italy, but on his return, he was admitted to the Académie de peinture et de sculpture as a historical painter, and gained full membership in 1734. This was the beginning of a very succesful career, winning several important commissions from the French Royals and aristocracy, making him one of the most important and influential Rococo painters. He was the favourite painter of Madame de Pompadour. Under her patronage, he painted some of his most impressive works. He advanced from professor to Rector of the Academy, becoming head of the Royal Gobelins Manufactory in 1755 and finally First Painter of the King in 1765. This highlight of his career didn't last long as he died in Paris in 1770.




François Boucher - Madame de Pompadour
Madame de Pompadour
1759

François Boucher - The Love Letter
The Love Letter
1750

François Boucher - Daphnis and Chloe
Daphnis and Chloe
1743

François Boucher - Mars and Venus surprised by Vulcan
Mars and Venus surprised by Vulcan
1754

François Boucher - The Rising of the Sun
The Rising of the Sun
1753


François Boucher - Allegory of Painting
Allegory of Painting
1765

François Boucher - Bacchus and Erigone
Bacchus and Erigone
1745

François Boucher - Shepherd piping to a Shepherdess
Shepherd piping to a Shepherdess

François Boucher - Cupid a Captive
Cupid a Captive

François Boucher - The Bath of Venus
The Bath of Venus
1751


François Boucher - Madame Bergeret
Madame Bergeret
c. 1766

François Boucher - Venus
Venus

François Boucher - Mercury confiding the Infant Bacchus to the Nymphs
Mercury confiding the Infant Bacchus to the Nymphs

François Boucher - Are They Thinking about the Grape?
Are They Thinking about the Grape?
1747

François Boucher - Earth: Vertumnus and Pomona
Earth: Vertumnus and Pomona
1749


François Boucher - Allegory of Music
Allegory of Music
1764

François Boucher - The Judgment of Paris
The Judgment of Paris
1754

François Boucher - Venus and Cupid
Venus and Cupid

François Boucher - Venus and Vulcan
Venus and Vulcan
1754

François Boucher - Spring
Spring


François Boucher - The Setting of the Sun
The Setting of the Sun
1752

François Boucher - Jupiter and Callisto
Jupiter and Callisto
1769

François Boucher - The Rape of Europa
The Rape of Europa

François Boucher - An Autumn Pastoral
An Autumn Pastoral
1749

François Boucher - Shepherd and Shepherdess Reposing
Shepherd and Shepherdess Reposing
1761


François Boucher - A Summer Pastoral
A Summer Pastoral
1749

François Boucher - Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
1757

François Boucher - Vulcan Presenting Arms to Venus for Aeneas
Vulcan Presenting Arms to Venus for Aeneas
1756

François Boucher - Pan and Pipes
Pan and Pipes

François Boucher - Leda and the Swan
Leda and the Swan
1742


François Boucher - Pygmalion and Galatea
Pygmalion and Galatea

François Boucher - Halt at the Spring
Halt at the Spring
1765

François Boucher - Madame Boucher
Madame Boucher
1743

François Boucher - Bath of Diana
Bath of Diana
1742

François Boucher - The Four Seasons: Spring
The Four Seasons: Spring
1755


François Boucher - Portrait of Louise O'Murphy
Portrait of Louise O'Murphy
1752

François Boucher and studio - The Muse Erato
The Muse Erato

François Boucher - Madame de Pompadour
Madame de Pompadour
1756

François Boucher - Morning Coffee
Morning Coffee
1738

François Boucher - Pastoral Scene
Pastoral Scene


François Boucher - Bridge Crossing
Bridge Crossing

François Boucher - The Toilette of Venus
The Toilette of Venus
1751

François Boucher - The Landscape Painter
The Landscape Painter

François Boucher - Landscape near Beauvais
Landscape near Beauvais
early 1740s

François Boucher - The Rape of Europa
The Rape of Europa
1747


François Boucher - Fountain of Venus
Fountain of Venus
1756

François Boucher - Landscape with a Pond
Landscape with a Pond
1746

François Boucher - Fording
Fording

François Boucher - The Four Seasons: Winter
The Four Seasons: Winter
1755

François Boucher - Fishing and Hunting
Fishing and Hunting
1750-52


François Boucher - The Four Seasons: Autumn
The Four Seasons: Autumn
1755

François Boucher - Venus Asking Vulcan for Arms for Aenneas
Venus Asking Vulcan for Arms for Aenneas
1732

François Boucher - Putti making music
Putti making music
1768

François Boucher - Architecture and Chemistry
Architecture and Chemistry
1750-52

François Boucher - The Dovecote
The Dovecote
1758


François Boucher - Les Bergers à la Fontaine
Les Bergers à la Fontaine

François Boucher - Comedy and Tragedy
Comedy and Tragedy
1750-52

François Boucher - Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour
1750

François Boucher - The Angler
The Angler
1759

François Boucher - Return from Market
Return from Market
1767