Zittende vrouw met waaier 1728

Francois Boucher created this drawing, "Zittende vrouw met waaier", using pen and gray ink, and it now resides in the Rijksmuseum. The drawing presents a figure study, its composition focused on the seated woman, and detailed through a network of fine lines that define the form. The use of hatching and cross-hatching not only models the contours of her body and drapery but also conveys texture and light. The materiality of the ink on paper creates an aesthetic that is both delicate and precise. It also embodies a discourse around representation and the gaze, particularly within the context of 18th-century French society. The figure's averted gaze adds a layer of complexity, challenging a direct, objectifying view. The formal qualities of this drawing—its line work, the tonal gradations achieved through ink, and the compositional arrangement—invite an ongoing interpretation of its cultural and aesthetic meanings.