Paris, 1740. François Boucher must create a mythological scene for Carl Gustaf Tessin, Swedish diplomat and passionate collector. The painter to Louis XV takes up his brush and, with remarkable audacity, composes this celebration without multiplying preparatory sketches.
A Symphony of Flesh and Foam
Venus reigns, surrounded by a whirlwind of bodies. Naiads with milky flesh entwine with muscular tritons. Fish leap from the waves. Cupids flutter in the air, holding a pink veil that ripples in the sea wind. Boucher paints with a lively, light touch. His palette mingles pale blues, pearly pinks, and luminous golds. Bodies intertwine in a movement that guides the eye toward the goddess. The pictorial matter is fluid. Observe how the flesh seems to pulse under the light.
Rococo at Its Pinnacle
This oil on canvas illustrates the triumph of French Rococo. At Versailles, Louis XV reigns and Boucher embodies the taste of his time. The aristocracy seeks graceful sensuality, the pleasure of the senses sublimated. This painting transposes the ancient myth of Venus’s birth into a gallant and voluptuous celebration. In 1749, Tessin must sell his collection. The Swedish royal family acquires this work, which travels to Stockholm. In 1866, the Nationalmuseum welcomes this masterpiece into its collections.
François Boucher, Painter of Desire
First Painter to the King, Boucher (1703-1770) dominated the French artistic scene. He excelled in mythological scenes where sensuality expresses itself without restraint. His technical virtuosity and fertile imagination made him the undisputed master of Rococo.
Think about it
💭 What if Venus emerged today from our screens rather than from sea foam? How would you represent the triumph of love in our era?
About This Work
- The Triumph of Venus
- François Boucher
- 1740
- Oil on canvas
- 130 × 162 cm
- Nationalmuseum, Stockholm
- https://collection.nationalmuseum.se/en/collection/item/17773/
