Boucher

The author traces the painter's life from modest origins through apprenticeship to artistic maturity, surveying his preference for mythological Venuses, pastoral scenes, elegant genre pieces, and flattering portraiture. Chapters analyze stylistic development, studio methods, and the social milieu that generated commissions, including a close association with the influential courtier Madame de Pompadour. Eight color reproductions illustrate signature works while commentary situates individual paintings within contemporary taste, patronage, and shifting fortunes, and the narrative closes by recounting the artist's later years and considering the reception of his work.