Jupiter And Callisto Francois Boucher (1703-1770)

Description of the painting "Jupiter and Callisto" by François Boucher

In early eighteenth-century France, the most popular style in art was rococo. The rococo was characterized by a depiction of luxury, surfeit, an abundance of decorative elements, and whimsical forms. Paintings in that period served mainly as interior decoration. Characters were depicted like porcelain figurines; at the same time, the bodies in the paintings were typical of lush, sensual forms. The subjects of the paintings are most often pastoral. Picturesque lawns bordered by trees and bushes are most often used as backgrounds; a river or stream is also an obligatory element of the landscape.

François Boucher was the most striking artist of the Rococo era. In addition to painting, he made sketches for porcelain paintings and tapestries, was fond of sculpture, created prints, painted interiors. All his works are characterized by light pink, blue and soft green tones.

The plot of the picture is taken from an ancient Roman myth. According to legend, the god Jupiter has grown passionate about the nymph Callisto, and not to scare her, appeared before the desired girl in the guise of the goddess Diana. In the female form the god tried to seduce Callisto. The nymph, as Diana’s companion, had accompanied her on the hunt, so she was not surprised to see her mistress. Thus Jupiter succeeded in seducing her lover, who had taken a vow of virginity. To French society the myth was widely known thanks to Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

Boucher depicted two flirtatious girls against a pastoral landscape; the group of cupids performs a decorative task, outwardly resembling a wreath or a garland of flowers. There is nothing divine or majestic about the young heroines; most likely, the artist quite accurately conveyed the appearance of the French sitters who posed for the work. It is generally accepted that the beauty of such paintings can only be appreciated in the appropriate interiors, of which they were a part.