François Boucher 1703 - 1770 Lovers in a Park, 1758 Oil on canvas, 91 1/2 x 76 3/4 in.
		In Boucher's fairylike vision of a lush garden setting, a young couple and their spaniel have stopped to rest while out for a stroll. The man, who is weaving flowers into the hair of his lover, is distracted by the appearance of a milkmaid or shepherdess, who has been gathering flowers of her own. Any potential tension in the encounter is erased by the idealized quality of the scene. The creamy folds of the seated woman's dress and the richly worked foliage of the surrounding bushes and trees epitomize Boucher's expression of rococo style. This decorative style of art is associated with the reign of Louis XV. Boucher was also the favorite artist of the king's mistress, Madame de Pompadour, for whom he painted some of his most impressive works.
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