To putti. Udkast til dørstykke på Amalienborg 1703 - 1770

Francois Boucher made this sketch of putti, or cherubic figures, using sanguine chalk on paper. Sanguine chalk is an iron-oxide pigment, and was often used in preparatory drawings, prized for its warmth and resemblance to human coloring. Boucher was famous in his own time for lighthearted mythological scenes, often made as designs for tapestries. Here, we see Boucher working out his composition. The marks are quick, confident, and economical, with dense hatching to define the figures and looser strokes to suggest a background. It’s a study in contrasts: light and shadow, but also the contrast between the material itself – the chalk – and the immaterial subject of angels. Although Boucher became extremely wealthy, and had many assistants, he personally maintained an active drawing practice, which was essential to his creative process. This kind of drawing was a form of labor in itself, requiring skill, time, and care. Ultimately, understanding the social and material conditions of a work like this helps us appreciate not only its aesthetic qualities, but also the value of human effort that went into its creation.