Artwork
Head of a Young Woman
Head of a Young Woman is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist François Boucher. It dates from 1732 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Head of a Young Woman is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for François Boucher's small-scale cabinet pictures of the early 1730s.
Head of a Young Woman is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for François Boucher's small-scale cabinet pictures of the early 1730s. The work measures 32.4 cm in height by 25.6 cm in width, a modest format suited to intimate portrait studies of the type Boucher produced during this period.
As a painting in the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection, it reflects the Rococo handling Boucher was developing in 1732, when he was establishing the soft modeling, delicate flesh tones, and painterly brushwork that would characterize his mature style. The small canvas format is consistent with his head studies of young women from these years.
History & Provenance
The painting Head of a Young Woman was created in France in 1732 by François Boucher. It was acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains in the collection today. The work is documented in the museum's records with an accession year of 2012 and is catalogued under the identifier 2012.95. Its dimensions are 32.4 cm in height and 25.6 cm in width.
Head of a Young Woman is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, located in Cleveland, Ohio. The institution accessioned the work under the number 2012.95. Created in 1732, this oil painting on canvas measures 32.4 cm in height and 25.6 cm in width.
The provided sources confirm its current location and inventory details but do not list specific past exhibitions or a detailed provenance history prior to its acquisition by the museum.
Overview
François Boucher’s oil portrait, titled Head of a Young Woman, dates from 1732 and is part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work presents a single figure, rendered in profile, and exemplifies the artist’s Rococo sensibility through its delicate coloration and refined finish.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is a young woman whose gaze falls gently downward, conveying a calm, introspective mood. She wears a white cap trimmed with a blue ribbon and a pink blossom, while a blue garment with a lace collar frames her shoulders. Gold earrings add a subtle hint of elegance, suggesting modest yet cultivated status.
Context
Boucher, a leading figure of the French Rococo, was known for his graceful depictions of aristocratic subjects and mythological scenes. This intimate portrait aligns with his practice of portraying fashionable youth, emphasizing elegance and refined beauty within a restrained compositional format.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
François Boucher was a French painter, draughtsman and etcher, who worked in the Rococo style.
