Madame de Pompadour Francois Boucher (1703-1770)
Francois Boucher – Madame de Pompadour
Edit attribution
Download full size: 2959×3789 px (3,7 Mb)
Painter: Francois Boucher
Album navigation:
François Boucher was not considered a portrait painter. Throughout his artistic life he painted more than a thousand paintings, of which portraits were only a little more than a dozen. Most of these portraits are of the Marquise de Pompadour. The name of the Marquise de Pompadour was known to many during her lifetime. She had a love affair with Louis 15. Despite a brief relationship (about five years), their friendship persisted in many areas. Pompadour sympathized with Boucher and considered him a genius.
ArtClub
Best Contemporary Atists
Description of the painting "Marquise de Pompadour" by François Boucher
François Boucher was not considered a portrait painter. Throughout his artistic life he painted more than a thousand paintings, of which portraits were only a little more than a dozen. Most of these portraits are of the Marquise de Pompadour.
The name of the Marquise de Pompadour was known to many during her lifetime. She had a love affair with Louis 15. Despite a brief relationship (about five years), their friendship persisted in many areas.
Pompadour sympathized with Boucher and considered him a genius. It was to him that she entrusted the painting of her portraits.
In the painting Portrait of the Marquise de Pompadour, we see a young girl who lies on a couch in a pretty boudoir. She is dressed in fine and expensive clothes, and looking at her high-heeled shoes we can say without a doubt that this is the Marquise de Pompadour, a great fashionista. The Marquise succeeded in introducing the rule of frequent washing in Versailles (she was shocked by the "aroma" of urine, sweat and dust that wafted in the air of the palace). Boucher, by painting roses on her dress, wanted to show the purity and fragrance of the Marquise with these wonderful flowers. The plot of the painting was based on the Marquise’s reflections on the book she had read. Madame was the patroness of art and literature in France - this is emphasized by the book opened in the hands of a girl. Behind her is a mirror in which we can look at her hair.
Despite the realism of the image, the Marquise de Pompadour occasionally reproached the artist for painting her beautiful, though not much like herself.
You cannot comment Why?
The room is opulently decorated, with rich golden draperies framing the scene, a large ornamental clock on a mantelpiece, and shelves filled with books in the background. A small writing desk to her right features writing implements, adding to the atmosphere of refined leisure and literary engagement. A black cat, often associated with sensuality and independence, rests at her feet, contributing to the overall sense of intimate comfort and private indulgence.
The subtexts woven into the painting are multifaceted. Firstly, it serves as a testament to Madame de Pompadours status and influence. Her opulent dress, the rich furnishings, and the implied presence of leisure activities all speak to her position of power and wealth as the kings favorite. Secondly, the book she holds hints at her intellectual sophistication and her role as a patron of the arts and sciences, aligning with the Enlightenment ideals of the era. The relaxed, almost intimate pose suggests a departure from formal portraiture, offering a glimpse into her private world. The presence of the cat can be interpreted as a symbol of her charm, allure, and perhaps even her intelligence and independent spirit. Ultimately, the painting portrays Madame de Pompadour not just as a royal mistress, but as a cultured, sophisticated woman of influence, elegantly poised within the sophisticated world she inhabited.