Venus amongst the waves

Oil on canvas

49 x 98 cm.

With frame 61 x 110 cm.

This delightful painting, depicting the goddess Venus reclining upon the waves of the sea, surrounded by celestial cherubs, nymphs and mythological sea creatures emerging from the water, is based on a composition conceived by the French Rococo painter François Boucher (Paris, 1703 –1770) and made famous by the 18th-century engraving by Jean-Charles Le Vasseur (1734–1816).

Historical examples of this specific print are held in prestigious art collections worldwide, including the Edmond de Rothschild Collection at the Louvre Museum in Paris [1].

This was one of Boucher’s favourite subjects as it fully reflected the Rococo style – the lightest yet most elegant of all styles – capable of interpreting in painting the aesthetic ideals of the French aristocracy of the Ancien Régime.

Unlike the Renaissance Venuses (which were more solemn and statuesque), Boucher’s Venus embodies the 18th-century ideal of femininity, with her supple body, snow-white skin and a pose that evokes a playful and mischievous sensuality. For the court of Louis XV (and in particular for Boucher’s patron, Madame de Pompadour), classical myth served as a cultured pretext for celebrating hedonism, earthly love and elite luxury.

The cupids flitting around the goddess, playing with light fabrics that float in the air, symbolise the various nuances of amorous desire and romantic love. The nymphs and tritons surrounding Venus offer pearls, shells and corals, as if wishing to submit to the goddess, representing the whole of nature bowing down and paying homage to the sovereign of love.

The entire scene is steeped in an ethereal and theatrical atmosphere, dominated by pastel tones that fade from flesh-toned pink to the brown of the storm clouds in the background.

François Boucher and his workshop devoted much of their work to this type of subject matter – the quintessential symbol of the frivolous pleasures of life to which the aristocracy yearned – aided by the master’s great renown and the abundant demand from collectors. Our work, which can be dated to the second half of the 18th century, can be attributed to a pupil or studio assistant of the French painter.

 

[1] Vénus sur les eaux

Designer: François Boucher / Engraver: Jean Charles LE VASSEUR

Musée du Louvre https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl020521157 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The painting is set in a lovely gilded wooden frame and is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

We arrange and organise the transport of purchased works, both within Italy and abroad, using professional and insured carriers.

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