The Gardener (designed 1734–36, woven 1762)
Original title: The Gardener from a set of the Italian Village Scenes
kurzbeschreibung
François Boucher designed this tapestry, The Gardener, between 1734 and 1736 as part of a series of Italian village scenes; it was woven in 1762 at the Gobelins Manufactory. An arcadian landscape with figures, trees and statues unfolds across the surface, worked in wool and silk at a dense thread count.
Description
A path crosses a bridge and winds through a lush landscape of trees and shrubs. In the foreground two women sit on a bench while a third figure crouches on the ground, holding something in both hands. Statues frame the scene at left and right, each carrying an object. Dense greenery closes off the background and reinforces the natural setting. An ornate border encloses the picture.
Context
Boucher made the cartoons for the Italian village scenes in 1734–36. The tapestry itself was only executed in 1762, presumably at the Paris Gobelins Manufactory. The series belongs among his early pastoral works, prompted by Italian landscape painting. Tapestries of this kind formed part of aristocratic domestic life and spread the Rococo ideal of taste.
Impact
Rural idyll and theatrical staging meet here in a way typical of Boucher. The symmetrically placed statues and the calm group of figures produce a harmonious, almost bucolic mood. The ornamental border draws the eye to the action and emphasises the decorative character of the tapestry.
Technique
The tapestry is woven in wool and silk, with 21–23 warps per inch (8–9 per centimetre). This tight weave allows figures and landscape to be reproduced in faithful detail. Silk lends a slight sheen, wool the matt areas.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)