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February 18, 2009
Marie-Louise O’Murphy
Before photography, painting was the medium of choice for advertising.
When Henry was recommended by Cromwell to take Anne as his fourth wife [with a view to easing political relations in Europe] he sent his court painter, Holbein, off to Cleves to paint Anne’s portrait so he could see what he was getting himself into.
Anne of Cleves, 1539, Hans Holbein
Likewise, when Casanova was recommending a mistress to Louis XV he got Boucher to paint her, in one of the most sensuous pictures of the time.
Louise O’Murphy, 1752, Francois Boucher
The lady in question was a girl aged fourteen, one Marie-Louise O’Murphy, daughter of an Irish shoemaker from Rouen. The painting was clearly a success because, for a couple of years, Marie-Louise was one of the mistresses of the French king.
Others have tried to copy the pose:
painting attributed to Steve Hanks – though I haven’t been able to verify this
Even your present interlocutor:
study for On the Sofa, conte crayon on paper
study for On the Sofa, charcoal on paper
study for On the Sofa, charcoal on paper
But it’s a tricky pose, requiring a deep understanding of soft-furnishings and the human anatomy. The foreground leg is relatively easy, but to get the back leg bent in such a provocative manner must have taken Boucher a long time amongst the cushions and pillows. I speak from experience.
Posted by john at February 18, 2009 10:59 PM