François Boucher

Born in Paris, his father was a pattern painter. Educated by his father from his boyhood, he was an extremely precocious person. At the age of 20, he won the first prize in the exhibition of the Academy of Fine Arts.

After studying in Italy for more than four years, his skills improved more and more; after returning to Paris, his reputation was so great that he was received by the salon of the ladies of the Louis dynasty. By the way, the salon of the ladies of the Louis dynasty was a meeting place for famous scholars, politicians, poets, musicians, painters, etc. It was a matter of great honor to be received there. Thanks to this relationship, Boucher began to make acquaintances with various people. He painted both opera sets and wall fabric patterns.

Thus, his talent was soon appreciated by Louis XV's lover, Madame Pompadour, who was the first beauty of the Louis dynasty and a talented woman. Boucher also designed women's clothes and decorations for this beautiful woman of luxury and pleasure, and Boucher's designs became an example for the ladies who went to and from the court at that time.

It can be seen that Boucher is rich in decorative skills and talent, and his paintings also have decorative elements. You can understand by looking at "Eye of Love" and "Pastoral"; however, his works are all cold and silver tones. Although noble and elegant, they do not make people feel intimate. For example, the nude body of Diana and her maid in "The Water Bath of the Moon Goddess" is round and smooth, but it is regrettable that they lack warmth. Perhaps this was what the aristocratic and arrogant people of the time liked.

Boucher yearned for Italy, the holy land of art, and went to inspect and study at his own expense. However, he was arrogant and looked down on the artistic achievements of the Renaissance masters. He fancied: "Michelangelo is strangely shaped, Raphael is dead, and Caravaggio is painted black." "He was only interested in 17th century pastoral art. When he walked into the palace, he found that aristocratic men and women did not like God but preferred the love story in Greek mythology. So Boucher tried his best to cater to them, and went out of his way to paint themes such as Mars, the goddess of war, flirting with Venus, the embrace of Hercules and Onfale, as well as themes such as the goddess coming out of the bath and beauty makeup. This kind of romantic plot and the white and pink female nudity are depicted in exquisite detail, with the image resembling a person or a god, and the human body is harmonious and balanced, making princes and aristocrats fall swoop. As he wished, he obtained the title of academician of the Academy of Fine Arts and was promoted to professor.

At the age of 62, his popularity grew to the peak, and he became the president of the Academy of Fine Arts and the chief painter of the royal family. Boucher was a controversial painter in the history of Western art. His contemporary Enlightenment thinker and literary critic Diderot once criticized Boucher's art with great acrimony. He said: "I don't know what to say to this man. The degradation of interest, color, composition, character, expressiveness, and line drawing in his work is closely accompanied by the degradation of his character. What do you want this artist to express on canvas? To express his imagination? But what can a man who hangs out with the lowest prostitutes all day long imagine? The charm of his shepherdesses is that of Mrs. Faval in Rose and Cora; the charm of his Muse is borrowed from Desan (both French prostitutes and dancers). "

Diderot's criticism was very sharp because he stood at the height of the enlightenment of the new bourgeoisie, regarded Boucher as the darling of the decadent Louis XV Dynasty, and believed that his art had a negative impact on society. Diderot said it very clearly: "The grace, elegance, seductive charm and elegant taste displayed by Boucher, its talent, its beauty, its dazzling brilliance, its heavily made up body, and its debauchery have captured those dandies, romantic women, teenagers, upper-class people, and those who have no idea of truly elegant taste, authenticity, correct thought and the seriousness of art. "Diderot's extreme comments were based on his deep hatred of the decadent life and art of the feudal aristocrats at that time, but we should evaluate Boucher's art fairly.

Plekhanov of Russia said: "Elegant sexuality is his muse, and it permeates all Boucher's works. "The history of French painting commented on him: " People dismiss Bouchet's works, probably because there was Watteau before him and Fragonard after him, and obviously he did not have the depth of the former, nor did he have the latter's intelligence and strong sense of joy." However, he is an indispensable link in this chain. As a colorist and painter of light, he ranks among the greatest masters."