Chinese Peasant 1738 - 1745

This print, *Chinese Peasant*, was made by François Boucher in the 18th century, using etching. The fine, linear quality of the medium allowed him to describe a woman with a basket, along with a fantastical array of details. Look closely, and you’ll notice that this image is more about European fantasy than Chinese reality. The figure’s costume and accoutrements, as well as the surrounding plants and even the exotic-looking bird, were all imagined through a Western lens. Boucher was an artist deeply involved in the decorative arts. He designed for tapestry, porcelain, and other luxury trades. This print would have fed a European appetite for chinoiserie – objects made in a mock-Chinese style. It's important to remember that the fashion for these goods relied on actual trade with China, and on the labor of countless artisans working there. Boucher’s print gives us no hint of that effort, or the complexities of global commerce. This reminds us of the importance of looking beyond the surface, to understand the full story of art and design.