François Boucher: Blonde Odalisque (1752); Alte Pinakothek, München

Probably no one is more associated with rococo painting than François Boucher (1703-1770). Boucher earned his reputation partly due to his stylish portrayal of the female nude. The somewhat risqué Blonde Odalisque (1752) is a striking example of his skills in this field.
It is usually claimed that the girl showing off her naked body on a draped bed was Marie-Louise O'Murphy, a young girl that at that time was one of the favorite mistresses of King Louis XV of France. This assumption is mainly based on a remark that the famous adventurer Giacomo Casanova made in his memoirs. Although his observation was probably incorrect, it is certain that the portrait, commissioned by the French court, concerns a courtesan.
François Boucher was a popular figure at the French court and the favorite painter of Madame de Pompadour, the illustrious mistress of the King. In 1765, he was even appointed as Premier Peintre du Roi (First Painter of the King). In 1733, Boucher had become a member of the renowned Académie de peinture et de sculpture, a royal art school that he eventually would become the director of. He was admired by his contemporaries for his virtuosic and refined technique, and his depiction of draperies and elegant use of color were rarely equalled, as was his art of drawing.
But there was not only praise. Some people had severe problems with the fact that Boucher did not depict his nudes - as was customary - in a mythological or allegorical context, like models of classical beauty, but as voluptuous child-women. Among his main critics was the great philosopher Diderot, who condemned Boucher's shameless portrayal of (underage) girls and considered him immoral. Be that as it may, erotic paintings like the Blonde Odalisque offer us an interesting insight into the aesthetics at the French court during the Ancien Regime.
(text: Maarten Levendig)

Comments

Anonymous said…
omg
Gerry Yuan said…
Hi, any idea about the painting’s dimension?