Artwork
Portrait of a Lady as Pomona
Portrait of a Lady as Pomona is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Nicolas Fouché. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1700 by French painter Nicolas Fouché, this oil on canvas presents an allegorical portrait of a woman embodying Pomona, the Roman deity of fruit trees. The figure stands before a table laden with a fruit basket, set against a landscape of trees and water, her serene pose highlighted by a soft, luminous palette.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is depicted as Pomona, identifiable by the orange robe, the apple she holds, and the surrounding fruit, symbols of abundance and fertility. The composition suggests an idealized celebration of nature’s bounty, linking the female form to the nurturing qualities traditionally ascribed to the goddess.
Technique & Style
Fouché employs a delicate chiaroscuro, using light and shadow to model the figure and give depth to the surrounding scenery. The brushwork reflects the early Rococo sensibility, with graceful lines, pastel tones, and a lightness that conveys both elegance and a gentle, atmospheric mood.
History & Provenance
Born in 1653, Nicolas Fouché was the son of painter Léonard Fouché and a pupil of Pierre Mignard. After its creation, the work entered various private collections before being acquired by the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, where it remains part of the permanent holdings.
Context
The painting aligns with the late‑Baroque transition toward Rococo, a period when allegorical portraiture was popular among aristocratic patrons. By portraying a contemporary lady as a classical deity, Fouché merged fashionable portraiture with mythological iconography, reflecting the cultural tastes of early 18th‑century France.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolas Fouché (1653–1733) was a French painter. Fouché was born in Troyes, the son of painter Léonard Fouché. He was received into the Académie de Saint-Luc on 15 March 1679. The abbé de Monville, biographer of Pierre…
