A lovely portrait of a young woman pouring a cup of tea, by Pierre Louis Bouchard. The woman is depicted wearing a green striped dress with a white apron, whilst on her head is a mob cap decorated with a red ribbon. She is shown standing before a table containing a porcelain tea service on a silver salver. She is painted with her head turned towards the viewer as she expertly pours the tea into a cup. The mode appears similar to others figures the artist painted and could well have been the same person.

Pierre Louis Bouchard was born Pierre-François Bouchard in Lyon on 2 May 1831 to Pierre Bouchard and Amelie Baron. In 1845, he began studying at the École des Beaux-Arts in Lyon where he was taught by Jean-Claude Bonnefond (1796-1860). He then moved to Paris where he became a pupil of Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904) at the Ecole des beaux Arts. He also studied under Jean-Hippolyte Flandrin (1809-1864) and Paul Jean Flandrin (1811-1902) at their workshop.

At some point during his early career, Bouchard changed his name possibly to avoid confusion with the discoverer of the Rosetta Stone. He made his debut at the Paris Salon in 1863 as Pierre Louis Bouchard with two works, receiving an honourable mention. His address was recorded as, Rue Saint-Andre-des-Arts and he continued exhibiting at the Salon from that address throughout the rest of his life. Bouchard specialised in paintings of pretty maidens engaged in a domestic activity such as this wonderful example. He also produced a number of Oriental works. Bouchard remained in Paris until his death at Villiers-le-Bel, Paris on 4 November, 1889.

Examples of his works are held by the Paul-Dini Museum near Lyon, the Orsay Museum and the Witt Library.

© Benton Fine Art