Author:Françios Boucher

Title: Blond Odalisque Year:1754 Medium:Oil on canvas Dimensions:59 x 73 cm

The painting represents the portrait of Louise O'Murphy, a young Irish woman who worked as Boucher's model and who, in 1753, was briefly the mistress of Louis XV. The artist does not present her as a Venus of classical beauty but portrays her instead in a provocative pose of unambiguously erotic persuasion as a sweet child-woman.

The painting is also known as the Back Nude of Mlle O'Murphy.

Author:François Boucher

Title:Portrait of Marquise de Pompadour

Year:1759Medium:Oil on canvas Size:91 x 668 cm

Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson became marquise de Pompadour and maitresse en titre to Louis XV in 1745. Behind her in this portrait stands the sculpture of Love and Friendship which she had commissioned from Pigalle to symbolize her later, platonic relationship with the King. Her lavish patronage of the arts, in particular of the Sèvres porcelain factory and of Boucher, sustained the French Rococo style.