An artwork on Galleree from The Art Institute of Chicago.
About the artwork
Are They Thinking about the Grape? (Pensent-ils au raisin?)François Boucher (French, 1703–1770)
1747
France
Oval: 80.8 × 68.5 cm (31 3/4 × 27 in.); Framed: 96.6 × 84.5 × 11.5 cm (38 × 33 1/4 × 4 1/2 in.)
Oil on canvas
Martha E. Leverone Endowment
['18th Century', 'Rococo']
['love', 'animals', 'children', 'figures', 'food', 'goats', 'grapes', 'landscape', 'man', 'river', 'sex', 'sheep', 'trees', 'water', 'woman']
['oil on canvas', 'oil paintings (visual works)', 'paint', 'french', 'painting', 'european painting']
['oil paint (paint)', 'canvas', 'paint', 'painting']
['oil painting', 'painting', 'painting (image making)', 'painting techniques']
This painting is based on a 1745 pantomime about a young shepherd’s awakening love for a shepherdess. The couple feed each other grapes—a fruit associated with Bacchus, god of pleasure—suggesting that their encounter is not entirely chaste. François Boucher’s compositions on pastoral themes comprise his most influential contribution to 18th-century French art. These lush and playful fantasies of rustic life, designed primarily for the private enjoyment of wealthy financiers and aristocrats, had little to do with the social realities of rural labor during the period.
| attributed to Art Institute of Chicago under CC-By license
In a sunlit meadow, a symphony of colors dances across a canvas, capturing a moment that speaks of awakening and desire. At the heart of this vibrant scene lies a story born in 1745, a tale spun from the threads of a delightful pantomime. Here, beneath the gentle sway of willows and the tender glow of the golden hour, stands a young shepherd, eyes aflame with the spark of newfound love. Beside him, a shepherdess—her laughter like the softest melody—mirrors his excitement.
As they share playful glances and the sweetness of life, they delicately feed each other grapes, a fruit steeped in rich symbolism. These grapes, luscious and inviting, bind them to Bacchus, the god who revels in the pleasures of existence. Within this act of sharing lies not just innocence, but a hint of forbidden joy, a reminder that love often dances on the edges of propriety.
The artist François Boucher, a luminary of 18th-century French art, fervently captures this pastoral bliss. Those who behold his work find themselves transported into realms of fantasy, where the burden of reality fades away. Boucher’s vibrant compositions celebrate the idyllic lives of the wealthy, conjuring a rustic dreamland meant for the enjoyment of the elite—far removed from the toil and challenges faced by those working the land.
As you gaze upon this piece, let the warmth of the shepherd's love and the playful spirit of their interaction envelop you, inviting you to pause and reflect on the timeless nature of longing, joy, and the stories intertwined within the brushstrokes of art.
About the artist
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