Zwevende putto met een toiletspiegel c. 1713 - 1770

Curator: What a charming sketch! It’s entitled "Zwevende putto met een toiletspiegel," or "Floating putto with a toilet mirror." It's rendered in pencil and charcoal by Francois Boucher, likely sometime between 1713 and 1770. The Rijksmuseum is lucky to have it. Editor: My first thought is, 'oh, what a dreamy little cherub!' It's soft, delicate, but those little cherub legs are doing their best to hold him aloft in front of the mirror, right? It's wonderfully human amidst all that ethereal fluff. Curator: Absolutely! Boucher often depicted mythological scenes, and these putti – cherubic figures – were common in his work. It makes sense to examine how this fits into Boucher’s commercial appeal. His paintings catered to the aristocratic taste for light-hearted erotics, influencing French decorative arts significantly. Editor: "Light-hearted erotics," is a perfect description! I mean, he’s completely nude, focused intently on his reflection. What's so great about that reflection, I wonder? Maybe the joy isn't in the mirror, but just in having a moment of solitude, you know? Flying can get hectic, maybe a cherub needs to pause too! Curator: Precisely! Boucher's works, including his drawings, show how art and interior design met with political developments in pre-Revolutionary France. We can see here an idyllic retreat for elites in France, who embraced fantasies in boudoirs decorated with similar artwork and playful imagery. Editor: Looking closely, the charcoal shading is lovely. Especially on the wing, or how that downy curly hair catches the light. The drawing emphasizes form over super-defined outlines and that's great; it's very alive! There's definitely movement despite it just being an image. Curator: Yes, his use of line is wonderfully suggestive rather than prescriptive. These details reflect Boucher's larger project, which used sensuality to represent wealth and indulgence, and further, helped the nobility define their culture of entertainment in sharp contrast to any austerity imposed by the King and moralists at the time. Editor: Considering the piece in context of the artist's life—and the lives of those who viewed it—gives this tiny putto quite a hefty weight to bear! All that from a mere glimpse in a mirror. Curator: Indeed, our little cherub reflects not just its own image but those of a society on the brink of dramatic transformation. A drawing like this brings us closer to its complexity and appeal.