Getty Museum
Study of a Reclining Nude
Creator
François BoucherFrench Artist · 1703–1770
All works by this person →For François Boucher, "art" meant "artifice." He could paint straightforward genre scenes and portraits when appropriate, but the times called for enchantment and frolic, with just the right touch of titillation. Boucher's paintings and drawings celebrated a silvery, shimmering world of perfumes and powders, inspiring copies of his designs in media ranging from textiles and marquetry to porcelain.
More on Getty ULAN- Date
- 1732–1735
- Medium
- Red and white chalk, on oatmeal paper, strips of paper added at top and bottom edges
- Culture
- French
- Department
- Drawings
- Institution
- Getty Museum
As a young woman twists to look backward over her shoulder, she displays the voluptuous curves of her nude body. With her left arm hidden behind her torso, her right arm balances on the bolster pillow that supports her breast. In this simple sketch, François Boucher filled the model's body with a sense of motion and vitality even in repose, showing his mastery of line. From her twisting toes, bent forward to support her weight, to her tilted head and the muscular arms that prop up her body, Boucher captured the energy and poise required to hold this position. His strokes emphasize the sensuous lines of her body, while darker lines beneath her legs create a sense of depth and setting.
The authoritative record is held by Getty Museum. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.
Get printable QR codesHide QR codes
Open QR codes for this object page and the museum record. They stay collapsed until needed.
Related across collections
Semantically similar works from Getty Museum and other institutions.