Girl Feeding Chickens from the series known as the Enfants de Boucher
Original title: Girl Feeding Chickens from the series known as the Enfants de Boucher
kurzbeschreibung
Woven in wool and silk around 1770–80, "Mädchen füttert Hühner" belongs to the Enfants de Boucher series. It pictures a young woman feeding chickens in a rural setting and measures 73 × 54 cm.
Description
A young woman in a yellow bodice and red apron stands in a field, scattering feed for chickens from a vessel. Behind her a farm landscape and a tower stretch into the distance. A floral border of blossoms and fruit — apples and berries among them, in blue and pink — frames the scene. Earth tones dominate the palette, with blue and pink accents providing contrast, and the light falls evenly throughout.
Context
The tapestry comes from a series after designs by François Boucher, a leading painter of the French Rococo. Known as the Enfants de Boucher, the cycle offers playful rural scenes that were prized in eighteenth-century tapestry production. Tapestries of this kind often furnished the interiors of noble houses.
Impact
The scene feels idyllic and harmonious, fully in keeping with Rococo aesthetics and its emphasis on grace and naturalness. Soft hues and careful weaving give the image a detailed yet calm presence.
Technique
Wool and silk were woven at a density of 27 warps per inch (10–11 per centimetre). This fine weave allows for high detail and a soft texture, typical of quality tapestries of the period.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)