Artwork
Andromeda (Andromède)
Andromeda (Andromède) is a print by the Baroque artist François Boucher. It dates from 1734 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
His careful lines show up in the smooth shapes of Andromeda’s body and the ripples in the water.
The painting shows a dramatic moment from Greek myth. A chained woman, Andromeda, waits on a rocky shore. A winged man, Perseus, swoops down to save her. The colors are bright and airy, typical of Boucher’s style.
Boucher was just 31 when he painted this. He trained as an etcher before becoming a painter. His careful lines show up in the smooth shapes of Andromeda’s body and the ripples in the water.
Look up François Boucher (French, 1703–1770) to see more of his work.
Overview
François Boucher’s print titled *Andromède* depicts the decisive moment of the mythological rescue, when Perseus descends upon the chained princess Andromeda on a rocky shore. Executed when the artist was thirty‑one, the work combines a luminous palette with precise line work, characteristic of Boucher’s early training as an etcher.
Subject & Meaning
The image illustrates the climax of the Greek tale: Andromeda, bound to a cliff as a sacrifice to the sea monster Cetus, is about to be saved by the winged hero Perseus. The composition emphasizes the tension between vulnerability and imminent deliverance, a theme recurrent in 18th‑century neoclassical interpretations of antiquity.
Technique & Style
Boucher’s background in etching informs the print’s clean, flowing contours, evident in the smooth modeling of Andromeda’s form and the delicate ripples of the surrounding water. The bright, airy coloration reflects his later Rococo sensibility, while the disciplined draftsmanship reveals the precision honed during his early print‑making years.
History & Provenance
Initially produced as an independent composition rather than a reproduction, the print marks a transitional phase in Boucher’s career before his appointment as premier painter to Louis XV. It circulated among collectors of the period, showcasing the artist’s versatility across media before his fame as a painter of decorative arts.
Context
Created in the early 1730s, the work aligns with the Enlightenment’s revived interest in classical mythology as moral exempla. Boucher’s treatment mirrors contemporary tastes for elegant, narrative-driven images that could adorn both private salons and printed collections.
Artist & collection
Artist
François Boucher was a French painter, draughtsman and etcher, who worked in the Rococo style.
