Francois BoucherFrench, 1703–1770Cupids in Conspiracy
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “Cupids in Conspiracy” now? The Cleveland Museum of Art, 216B French and German, Cleveland. Yes, on view now. Checked September 29, 2026.
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the painting
Along with Music and Dance (1948.181.1), this work is surely part of a series of over-door paintings that would have been installed in a house. However, where the panels were originally installed or who commissioned them remains unknown. They exemplify the fusion of fine arts and decorative arts that was common in elite interior design in 18th-century France. Even though the paintings were part of the wall decoration of the room, the patrons chose François Boucher, a well-known painter of portraits and genre scenes, as well as mythological and religious subjects, to execute them. These two paintings reflect a style that was popular both at court and among other wealthy patrons through much of the eighteenth century: light, charming, pastoral scenes that mix classical elements with pure fantasy. Both of them feature putti, chubby baby characters that add a touch of humor to the images.
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Details
- Accession number
- 1948.181.2
In the catalog
Sources
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image: The Cleveland Museum of Art — Museum open access
In the life of Francois Boucher
The whole life1720–1770 · Workplace
Paris
1730–1740s
Major Official Commissions for Versailles
He received major commissions for the decoration of the apartments of Versailles: The Royal Virtues (1735) in the Queen's chamber, hunting scenes for the Petits Appartements (1736), Venus and Vulcan (1747) in the Dauphin's apartments, and History for the Royal Library (1743–1746).
27 April 1740
Daughter born: Marie-Emilie Boucher
1742–1748
Stage Designer at the Royal Academy of Music and Dance
He held the post of stage designer at the Royal Academy of Music and Dance.
