Domestic Scene: Mother with Two Small Children before a Mantelpiece n.d.

Francois Boucher made this drawing of a mother and her children with graphite on paper sometime in the 18th century. As a leading artist of the French Rococo, Boucher was known for his idyllic and often erotic paintings, but here he turns his attention to the domestic sphere. Although seemingly informal, the drawing provides insight into the social values of the time. The setting is a modest but comfortable interior, suggesting the rising middle class. The mother is depicted engaged in childcare, a role increasingly idealized in eighteenth-century domestic ideology. This image reflects the growing emphasis on the family as the cornerstone of social order and stability. The loose sketch work softens the formality typically seen with images of the upper class. By examining sources such as conduct manuals, domestic advice books, and other visual representations of family life, we can gain a richer understanding of the social and cultural context in which this drawing was produced.