Poï Nou ou Servante de la Chine - François Boucher

A fine etching by François Boucher, depicting a figure in a garden setting, inspired by the Chinoiserie style of the eighteenth century.

This etching, titled Poï Nou ou Servante de la Chine, is a work by the French artist François Boucher. It forms part of a series of prints that reflect the eighteenth-century European fascination with East Asian aesthetics, a style known as Chinoiserie. The composition is based on an earlier design by Antoine Watteau, as indicated by the inscription A. Watteau pin. at the base of the print. The image depicts a seated figure in a garden setting, dressed in garments that represent a European interpretation of Chinese attire. The figure rests against a large, rounded object, possibly a cushion or a basket, while looking towards the left. In the background, a small pagoda-like structure is visible, which serves to establish the exoticised setting typical of the period. The surrounding foliage and the cloud-filled sky are rendered with light, fluid lines, characteristic of Boucher's skill as an etcher. Boucher was a prolific artist who produced numerous designs for tapestries and decorative arts, and his work often incorporated these lighthearted, pastoral, and fantasy-driven themes. This print demonstrates the collaborative nature of printmaking in the eighteenth century, where artists often reproduced the works of their predecessors to reach a wider audience. The inclusion of the text Du Cabinet du Roy suggests that this print was intended for a collection of high-quality reproductions of works held in royal or aristocratic cabinets. The etching captures the playful and decorative spirit of the Rococo era, focusing on elegance and the imaginative representation of distant lands rather than ethnographic accuracy. The fine, calligraphic line work defines the folds of the fabric and the texture of the natural environment, creating a sense of movement and lightness throughout the scene.