This June, a new display opens at London’s Wallace Collection which shows how 18th century art continues to influence artists working today.
Flora Yukhnovich at the Wallace Collection presents two new paintings by the British artist inspired by the work of François Boucher (1703-1770). Renowned for her contemporary interpretation of Rococo paintings, this new work by Yukhnovich will provide a contemporary lens on one of the 18th century’s most famous artists and it will invite visitors to consider how we connect with the Rococo style today.
Flora Yukhnovich (b.1990) completed her MA at the City & Guilds of London Art School in 2017. She had her first solo exhibition at Brocket, London, in December 2017 since which time she has exhibited internationally. Her work has been acquired for major collections including the Government Art Collection, London, UK; Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC, USA; The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Canada and National Gallery of Victoria, Merlbourne, Australia.
François Boucher was not only a celebrated painter but also an accomplished draughtsman, etcher and designer, whose work best characterises the frivolous and superficial nature of life in the French court during the mid-18th century. Under the patronage of Madame de Pompadour (1721-1764), Louis XV’s powerful mistress, Boucher achieved nationwide fame. Today, the Wallace Collection is home to the most important collection of François Boucher’s paintings worldwide.
Boucher’s celebrated paintings have had an enduring influence on Yukhnovich’s large-scale paintings, which move between representation and abstraction. Her work addresses the traditional male gaze, and by using dynamic and rhythmic brushwork, the artist adopts the ‘language’ of the Rococo through a filter of contemporary cultural references.
For this display, Yukhnovich’s s paintings will temporarily replace two works by François Boucher at the top of the grand staircase on the landing of Hertford House – until now a space dedicated to paintings by Boucher.
Boucher’s two large scenes, Pastoral with a Bagpipe Player (1749) and Pastoral with a Couple near a Fountain (1749), will be moved to a white-walled contemporary display space on the ground floor.
Dr Xavier Bray, Director of The Wallace Collection, said: “Flora Yukhnovich creates mesmerising, painterly works which remind us of the influence that the 18th century still exerts on our visual taste. I hope that her work will open up the Collection to a new generation of art lovers, who have yet to discover the joys of François Boucher, and will also give those who know the Collection well an opportunity to see it with fresh eyes.”
Flora Yukhnovich said: “I couldn’t be more excited to work on this project with the Wallace Collection! I have been visiting since I was a student to immerse myself in the 18th century and to study the Boucher paintings. They have been incredibly important to me, finding their way into many of my paintings over the years. It will be such a privilege to see my work in dialogue with the paintings that have inspired them for so long.”
Flora Yukhnovich at the Wallace Collection opens on 5 June (until 3 November). For further information: wallacecollection.org
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Image: The Landing at Hertford House where Flora Yukhnovich’s paintings will be displayed © Trustees of the Wallace Collection