Taste (1720–70)
Original title: Taste
kurzbeschreibung
François Boucher's print "Geschmack" (Taste) was made between 1720 and 1770 as an etching finished with engraving. Two seated figures appear in a natural setting, and the sheet belongs to a series devoted to the five senses.
Description
Two people sit on the ground, caught in conversation. Their long, traditional garments point to a historical or culturally specific period. One figure holds a banana while the other gestures as if explaining something. Behind them rises a tree bearing a large fruit that suggests a gourd or a melon. The arrangement is asymmetrical, with the figures in the foreground, the tree behind them, and plants and leaves filling the surrounding space.
Context
The etching dates from the first half of the eighteenth century, when Boucher was known for his pastoral and mythological scenes. It forms part of a series on the five senses, a popular subject in the 1700s. Boucher, court painter to Louis XV, did much to shape the Rococo style, and everyday actions carrying an allegorical undertone were typical of his art.
Impact
Delicate lines and a calm layout give the sheet balance and harmony. The monochrome palette draws attention to the exchange between the figures and to their natural surroundings. An idyllic, almost timeless mood emerges, carrying the viewer into a world of the past.
Technique
Etching was refined here with engraving, a combination that allows fine shading and detail, visible in the lines and depths of the print. The plate measures 37.6 × 27.4 cm, and the sheet is slightly larger, which suggests a carefully controlled printing process.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)