Allegory of Beauty after François Boucher (1703–1777)

Allegory of Beauty, after François Boucher (Paris 1703-1777), oil on wood. In the "Jardin des Doms," Beauty sits on a stone pedestal, surrounded by her rivals. In the background, a mature man symbolizes carnal desire, while in the foreground, the young boy, with his index finger raised, invites virtue. The symbolic power of this composition highlights important aspects of the relationship to beauty. The Rocher des Doms is the historical origin of Avignon. At its summit lies a garden with a large duck pond and a monumental fountain, known as the Jardin des Doms. Beauty/the city: the central female figure can also be interpreted as an allegory of the city of Avignon or of Venus (Beauty) emerging from the water. The boy raising his finger: a boy raising his index finger is a classic symbol of discretion or attentiveness. In the context of a park or fountain, another interpretation is also possible: it invites silence (Silentium) in order to enjoy the beauty of nature, or didactically underlines the ephemeral nature of flowing water (and therefore of time). On the back, collector's stamp, adhesive label of the E. and A. Drouant store and owner's label issued by the "Société des Beaux-Arts de Levallois" with name and address.