Fire 1735 - 1745

Francois Boucher made this drawing, "Fire," with red chalk, and it shows his interest in Chinese imagery. Boucher never traveled to China, so the image creates meaning through the visual codes of the time; European artists in the 18th century relied on descriptions by travelers and traders to depict what they imagined China to be like. His patrons were fascinated by what they perceived as the exotic culture of China. The image also comments on the social structures of its own time; the French aristocracy had Chinoiserie rooms in their homes, collecting Chinese objects as status symbols. Boucher's drawing reflects that fashion. To understand such images, we use historical resources such as travel accounts, trade records, and inventories of aristocratic collections. The meaning of art is contingent on such contexts.