Aurora (after Boucher) before 1825

Editor: We are looking at "Aurora (after Boucher)," a pencil drawing made before 1825, currently at the Rijksmuseum. It seems quite ethereal, a quick sketch capturing a goddess-like figure. What’s your interpretation of this piece? Curator: Given its title "after Boucher", this piece points to an interesting dialogue between artists and their engagement with established visual vocabularies. We see echoes of Boucher's rococo style – the light touch, the focus on mythology. What might the act of copying or interpreting Boucher signify in the context of art institutions and artistic training of the time? Editor: That's an interesting angle! I was simply considering it as a study, but your interpretation encourages us to investigate how the artistic tradition and its academic reproduction were essential during that time. Curator: Precisely! Consider the role academies played. They legitimized artistic styles, canonized certain masters like Boucher, and thus heavily shaped artistic careers. What kind of statement does a piece like this make in the development and professional affirmation of its author? Editor: So, instead of seeing it solely as a sketch, we should look at it as an engagement – even a negotiation – with artistic power structures of the time. Perhaps trying to master the aesthetic norms. Curator: Exactly! It reflects an engagement with dominant narratives in the artistic sphere, with a recognized master of the canon, but also how an author inserts themself into the politicized world of imagery. Editor: I had never thought about a sketch in that context! Thanks! Curator: Glad I could share a fresh perspective! It's essential to see how social forces shape art’s journey through time.