Staand meisje 1626

François Boucher made this print, *Standing Girl,* at an unknown date using etching. At first glance, the drawing evokes innocence. However, the lines and composition reveal a subversion of the established social order. Consider how Boucher uses line to define form. The girl's dress balloons out, creating a visual imbalance, almost as if she could tip over. This distortion can be interpreted as a sign challenging the rigid structures of 18th-century French society. It hints at the artificiality of the period's values and the burden placed on young women to conform. Even the girl's posture is telling, she seems to be weighed down. The contrast between the delicate lines of her face and the bold strokes of her dress intensifies the sense of unease. Boucher's distortion of form destabilizes traditional representations of childhood. Instead, it invites us to question the underlying structures that shape our perception and understanding of the world.