English

The Toilette of Venus

1751
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 631

Boucher executed this painting for Madame de Pompadour, the powerful, official mistress of Louis XV and Boucher’s most significant patron for nearly two decades. It was originally inserted into the carved and painted wood-panel walls of her Château de Bellevue, the construction of which prompted many commissions that became textbook examples of Rococo art. Boucher’s depiction of the goddess of love adorning herself with the help of putti encapsulates key features associated with this movement: overt theatricality, voluptuous flesh, and an asymmetrical unfurling of luxurious furniture, fabric, flowers, and pearls.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Toilette of Venus
  • Artist: François Boucher (French, Paris 1703–1770 Paris)
  • Date: 1751
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 42 5/8 x 33 1/2 in. (108.3 x 85.1 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Bequest of William K. Vanderbilt, 1920
  • Object Number: 20.155.9
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

Audio

Cover Image for 5016. The Toilette of Venus

5016. The Toilette of Venus

0:00
0:00
We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. Please email info@metmuseum.org to request a transcript for this track.

More Artwork

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.