De slaap 1730 - 1740

François Boucher made this print, called 'The Sleep', in Paris. It captures the French Rococo style. The Rococo movement was favored by the elite and is characterized by its ornate detail. Here, Boucher presents a scene of children asleep alongside a cat in a garden-like setting. The setting is less important than the idealized forms of the children who represent the height of beauty in French aristocratic society. Rococo promoted the pursuit of pleasure and sensual enjoyment, a vision of life that often excluded commoners. This print was produced during the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment challenged tradition and championed scientific reasoning. These ideas transformed society and shifted artistic tastes away from the Rococo movement. We can understand this change better by studying journals, literature, and political documents from the time. Art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.