François Boucher

Private collection, Richelieu, France;
With Guy Ladrière, Paris, 1991;
Anonymous sale, New York, Christie's, 21 October 1997, lot 58;
Where acquired by Bernadette and William M.B. Berger, Denver, Colorado.

Denver Art Museum, 1998

C. B. Bailey, "An Early Masterpiece by Boucher Rediscovered: The Judgement of Susannah  in the National Gallery of Canada," National Gallery of Canada Review, vol. I, Ottawa 2000, p. 11, illus. p. 13, fig. 2. 

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This work has been restored. The varnish could be refreshed, but the lining and retouches are good. Under ultraviolet light, one can see well applied retouches in the sky in small spots and in two larger damages, a vertical break about 3 inches long in the left and a horizontal break about 4 inches long in the branches of the tree extending into the sky. There are retouches in the landscape through the feet of the child on the left side. There are a few spots in the female figure, in the chest of the male figure, in the straps of the sandal on the male figure's right foot, and in the hand, hip and right thigh of the cupid in the center. With a fresher varnish, the work should be hung as is.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

One of Boucher's earliest works, this impressive painting was an exciting rediscovery when it appeared on the market in the 1990's.  Likely painted as early as 1720, when the artist was still a teenager, the painting is an ambitious and striking depiction of the two lovers, moments before they part. A native of Paris, the young Boucher entered François Lemoyne's studio in 1720 and won the Grand Prix in 1723, but did not leave for Italy until 1728.  Venus and Adonis was probably painted while the artist was still working under Lemoyne, and Boucher's handling of the paint and lively brushwork reflect that of his master.  Indeed, the painting was previously attributed to Lemoyne.

Recounted most famously in Book X of Ovid's Metamorphoses, the story of Venus and Adonis was a favorite subject of many artists.  Like Titian, Rubens and Poussin before him, Boucher chose to depict the moment of Adonis's departure, when Venus makes a futile attempt to keep him from the hunt which would end his life. 

The traditional fellow to this work, The Judgement of Susannah, is also a recent rediscovery, now in the National Gallery of Canada.²  It has a similar low, wide format to the present work, though is slightly smaller.  The two paintings hung together in a private collection in France, apparently since the 18th century, though their dimensions and subjects make for a somewhat strange pairing, and thus they were probably not conceived as pendants by the artist but simply placed together since they were in the same collection. Colin Bailey dates The Judgement of Susannah, which is signed, to 1722-23, just after Venus and Adonis.¹ Both Colin Bailey and Alastair Laing agree that in the former work, Boucher has developed his own style in a much more confident manner; the present work, on the other hand, is still very much indebted to his master Lemoyne. 

We are grateful to Colin B. Bailey and Alastair Laing for their assistance with the cataloguing of this lot. 

1. See C. B. Bailey, under Literature, pp. 11-12.
2. 82.5 by 145.2 cm., see C. B. Bailey, under Literature, fig. 1, p. 12.