Collection of Diverse Chinese Figures
Original title: Collection of Diverse Chinese Figures
kurzbeschreibung
François Boucher’s etching Sammlung verschiedener chinesischer Figuren was made between 1738 and 1745. It shows a figure in traditional Chinese dress playing a flute-like instrument, with two small cat-like animals crouching at their side. The print belongs to a series that Boucher both designed and etched himself.
Description
A single standing figure fills the centre, holding a long, flute-like instrument that they appear to be playing. The garment is richly decorated, and the hair is gathered into a knot. Two small cat-like creatures crouch on the ground. A plaque with the title and the publisher’s address, Huquier, appears within the image. Fine lines and hatching in black and white carry the drawing, and the light falls evenly, without harsh contrasts.
Context
The series Recueil de diverses figures chinoises was produced between 1738 and 1745 and served as a model for the Sèvres porcelain manufactory as well as for decorative purposes. Boucher, who worked as court painter to Louis XV, etched the plates after his own designs. The series exemplifies the chinoiserie widespread in eighteenth-century France, which rested less on actual knowledge than on European fantasies. The prints were published by the Parisian art dealer Gabriel Huquier, as the address on the plaque indicates.
Impact
The calm, symmetrical arrangement and the delicate linework give the sheet an elegant, ornamental character. The idealized figure appears playful and exotic, without aiming for historical accuracy. The whole conveys a decorative lightness characteristic of Rococo chinoiserie.
Technique
For the etching, the drawing was incised into a metal plate, which was then bitten with acid. Fine lines and even hatching produce a precise, detailed image. The print, in black and white, is trimmed to 20.7 × 13.3 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)