François Boucher (1703-1770) was an artist often associated with rococo style, but he also had considerable talent in many other artistic genres. He painted landscapes in the style of Claude Lorrain, mythological scenes, and erotic paintings. Admitted to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in 1734, he became Madame de Pompadour’s favorite painter, and he made several portraits of her in a precise and realistic style. He was named King’s First Painter in 1765, one year after the death of Madame de Pompadour.
