The Mill 1751

François Boucher painted this scene of ‘The Mill’ using oil on canvas. Boucher, a leading artist of the Rococo style, typically used oil paints in a way that emphasized lightness, color, and sensual themes. Here, he renders the titular mill with a feathery touch, building up layers of color and texture to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. Note how the oil paint is applied in thin, translucent layers, allowing light to reflect off the canvas and giving the scene an airy quality. This technique, known as glazing, was common among painters of the era, and well-suited to the representation of fabrics and skin. However, the scene itself depicts the labor of rural life. While Boucher’s work often celebrated leisure and aristocratic pursuits, here we are presented with the everyday work of a mill, and of women doing laundry. The painting challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and depictions of everyday life, and reminds us that materials, making, and context are crucial to understanding the full meaning of any artwork.