Hearing
Original title: Hearing
kurzbeschreibung
This etching and engraving by François Boucher, made sometime between 1720 and 70, presents two figures in Asian dress handling musical instruments. The print revolves around the sense of hearing and the acoustic experience it carries.
Description
A large gong dominates the left half of the sheet, struck by a standing figure with two mallets; on the right, a second figure sits at a stringed instrument. Small bells hang beside the gong, and another stringed instrument appears further back. Plants and flowers frame the players, while the lines are drawn sharply and with close attention to detail. The arrangement has a mirror-like balance.
Context
The sheet dates from the eighteenth century, when European artists increasingly took up Asian subjects. It is probably part of a series on the five senses, a favourite theme of the Enlightenment. The uncertain dating reflects the long span of Boucher's career.
Impact
The eye is drawn first to the figure at the gong, then slides across to the seated player. Crisp linework and a poised arrangement leave a calm, harmonious impression. The exotic setting stirs curiosity and conjures a picture of far Eastern culture as eighteenth-century Europe imagined it.
Technique
Etching and engraving meet here, so etched and engraved lines stand side by side. This method allows precise detail, which comes through clearly in the instruments and the fabrics.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)