About this artwork

A young man spies on a young woman asleep in a beautiful garden; they appear like a shepherd and nymph from classical poetry, transformed into a contemporary but idealised setting. Boucher's pastoral themes often depicted charming couples in bucolic settings, accompanied by animals. Here the young man's dog echoes his master's inquisitive stance, but directs his attention to the cat on the woman's lap. The delicate colouring enhances the picture's gentle mood. The proportions of the canvas suggest that it was designed to be set into a wall as part of a decorative scheme.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    François Boucher (1703 - 1770) French
  • title:
    A Pastoral Scene ('L'Aimable Pastorale')
  • date created:
    1762
  • materials:
    Oil on canvas
  • measurements:
    Image: 231.50 x 91.00 cm; Framed: 272.70 x 127.00 x 15.50 cm / 48.00 kg
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Purchased 1986
  • accession number:
    NG 2442
  • gallery:
  • subject:
  • glossary:
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François Boucher

François Boucher