Man, god, or bear : the domestication of the nymph as visualized by François Boucher in dialogue with French enlightenment views on sexual violence
department or school: Arts, Faculty of
department or school: Art History, Visual Art and Theory, Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Agodon, Delaney Kai Russell
issued: 2025-01-10T18:14:13Z
issued: 2025
related degree: Master of Arts - MA
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Francois Boucherâs legacy has been heavily defined by his pastoral works and relationship with Madame de Pompadour. Boucherâs oeuvre was not a stranger to mythology paintings, but one figure appeared to be a favorite. Between the years of 1744 and 1769 Boucher created four variations of the myth of Callisto and Jupiter. These paintings focused on a perceived sapphic relationship between Callisto and Diana, but carry much heavier themes when related back to their Ovidian origin. The idea that these paintings were light-hearted erotica has been perpetuated due to a continuous disconnect between the object and the social history. Instead what can be drawn is a parallel between the visualization of mythological women in connection with politics on sexual assault and violence. Boucherâs use of Ovidâs mythology is inherently tied with the bodily anxieties written within his Metamorphoses. This project focuses on drawing out the relevance of Callistoâs image in normalizing sexual violence in congruence with the Enlightenmentâs logic on womanhood. This paper examines the writings of Rousseauâs natural woman, as well as Diderotâs moral art criticism and puts it in comparison with how Boucher depicts Ovidâs women. The evolution of Callistoâs character, between her origins in Ovid and her visual representations by Boucher, depict a recognizable change in dynamics. In comparing both painting and literature the concept of the idealized woman is formed, and in turn as is a paradox.
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/90099
note: Man, God, or Bear: The Domestication of the Nymph as Visualized by François Boucher in Dialogue with French Enlightenment Views on Sexual Violence by Delaney Kai Russell Agodon B.A., Willamette University, 2022 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Art History & Theory) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) December 2024 © Delaney Kai Russell Agodon, 2024 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, a thesis entitled: Man, God, or Bear: The Domestication of the Nymph as Visualized by François Boucher in Dialogue with French Enlightenment Views on Sexual Violence submitted by Delaney Kai Russell Agodon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Art History & Theory Examining Committee: Dr. Nicole Georgopulos, Assistant Professor, Art History, Visual Art & Theory, UBC Supervisor Dr. Joseph Monteyne, Professor, Art History, Visual Art & Theory, UBC Supervisory Committee Member iii Abstract Francois Boucherâs legacy has been heavily defined by his pastoral works and relationship with Madame de Pompadour. Boucherâs oeuvre was not a stranger to mythology paintings, but one figure appeared to be a favorite. Between the years of 1744 and 1769 Boucher created four variations of the myth of Callisto and Jupiter. These paintings focused on a perceived sapphic relationship between Callisto and Diana, but carry much heavier themes when related back to their Ovidian origin. The idea that these paintings were light-hearted erotica has been perpetuated due to a continuous disconnect between the object and the social history. Instead what can be drawn is a parallel between the visualization of mythological women in connection with politics on sexual assault and violence. Boucherâs use of Ovidâs mythology is inherently tied with the bo…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2025-05
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0447729
language: eng
degree discipline: Art History & Theory
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Georgopulos, Nicole
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/90099