弗朗索瓦‧布雪

Jean Masson (L.1494a)
his sale: Féral et al., Paris, May 7-8, 1923, lot 16
J.B. Glomy (L.1119)
Florence J. Gould
by whose Estate sold: Sotheby's, New York, April 24, 1985, lot 1
Acquired at the above sale by A. Alfred Taubman

Laid down on the Glomy mount. Some very slight discoloration in places in the sky. Very slightly rubbed, particularly towards bottom edge. Otherwise generally good condition. Sold in an elaborate carved and gilded frame.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Born in Paris, François Boucher was probably the most celebrated decorative artist of the 18th century and a major proponent of the Rococo style.  He is known for his idyllic and sumptuous paintings depicting decorative allegories, classical themes and pastoral scenes. Boucher was also a prolific draughtsman who observed the world around him, capturing everyday life in his sketches.  His reality was one seen through rose tinted glasses and his compositions are a combination of truth and embellishment, a fitting mixture for the Rococo taste of the time.

This charming and picturesque landscape is a prime example of Boucher's embellished reality. It does not appear to relate to any known painting or etching, but is a familiar type of scene that Boucher repeated throughout his career.  The watermill is a motif found in many of Boucher's compositions and was one of a number of rustic objects that he kept in his repertoire.  There is no doubt that this landscape was based on a real location that the artist visited, but the real charm of the composition comes from the harmonious way in which he has arranged his figures and other motifs to produce a contrived, yet at the same time natural-seeming image.

Boucher would have found the inspiration for this study while travelling through the French countryside, like his contemporary Jean-Baptiste Oudry, who strongly advocated sketching en plein air and as a result left for posterity a remarkable record of the countryside at Arceuil, Charenton and Beauvais.  The scene depicted here also demonstrates Boucher's admiration for 17^th-century Dutch landscape paintings, which he not only admired but also collected.  In fact, it was the Dutch artist Nicholas Vleughels who had encouraged him, while in Rome, to go out into the campagna and draw scenes from nature.  While drawings like the present sheet provided Boucher with an abundance of material to use in his larger compositions, they are, in their own right, beautifully rendered sensitive studies, illustrating the artist's keen eye for his natural surroundings.

We are grateful to Alastair Laing who, having seen the drawing in the original, has kindly confirmed the attribution to Boucher.