After François Boucher, Diana Bathing, Early 20th Century, Pastel Drawing

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An original early 20th-century pastel drawing Diana Bathing after François Boucher.An impressive large pastel drawing, sensitively recreating François Boucher's celebrated … Read more An original early 20th-century pastel drawing Diana Bathing after François Boucher.An impressive large pastel drawing, sensitively recreating François Boucher's celebrated oil painting of 1742 (now in the Louvre).Diana, goddess of the hunt and the moon, is depicted here, not as a strong bow-wielding huntress, but rather naked and innocent, at her bath, assisted by a lovely nymph. Boucher, a proponent of Rococo taste and master of the flirtatious and erotic, has reimagined the mythological scene in a way which explores the sensuous beauties of the female body. As a symbol of chastity, Boucher is able to play up Diana's innocence as a foil against charges of impropriety.The choice of pastel in the present drawing creates an appropriately soft-focused effect, and allows for fresh colouration—capturing the playfulness and youthful luminosity of Boucher's subject.The drawing was possibly creating around the first decade of the 20th century, during which time Rococo was in a revival period that in turn influenced the contemporary style movement of Art Nouveau.On laid paper.All artworks come with a Certificate of Authenticity and—if it is a collection artwork—its accompanying collection text or artist biography. Signed: No. Height: 42cm (16.5″) Width: 59.5cm (23.4″) Condition: Minor age toning, with faint scattered foxing to the verso. The paper is somewhat fragile, with a number of repaired tears to the edges, most notably a 6cm repaired tear at the upper edge. There is also a repair to a paper loss at the upper right corner, along with minor creasing towards that corner. Slight creasing also to the other corners. Please see photos for detail. Presented: Unframed. Please note that this picture will ship rolled in a tube. See less