The Annunciation

Artist/Culture François Boucher (French, 1703–1770)

Date1765–1770

Mediumblack chalk on medium, textured cream laid paper

Dimensionssheet: 34.4 × 20.7 cm (13 9/16 × 8 1/8 in.)

ClassificationsDrawings

Credit LineElize S. Paine Fund

Object number1976.3

Label TextA celebrated artist in his day, Boucher was favored by Madame de Pompadour and was named First Painter to King Louis XV. He gained further renown as a superb, versatile draftsman, and his drawings in many different media were highly regarded by collectors during his lifetime. In both painting and drawing Boucher treated a great diversity of subjects, including mythology, nudes, landscapes, genre scenes, and portraits. To his contemporaries Boucher's theatrical realm of sensuous make-believe seemed appropriate for such worldly themes yet less suitable for religious topics. Within the scope of sacred subjects, his drawings- made chiefly for himself- far outnumbered his paintings. Worcester's drawing shows the angel Gabriel hovering near Mary, to announce to her that she will bear the Son of God. Above, reclining on a cloud like a pagan divinity, God the Father releases the Dove of the Holy Spirit. The rounded top of the drawing suggests that it may have been a design for an altarpiece, perhaps a preliminary sketch, as indicated by the loose handling of the black chalk.ProvenanceJ.B. Graaf?, (Lugt 1120); H. Shickman Gallery, New York, NY

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