Imaginary Landscape with the Palatine Hill from Campo Vaccino

Imaginary Landscape with the Palatine Hill from Campo Vaccino (early 1730s) dates from Boucher's Italian period, when he visited Rome and absorbed the classical ruins that would inform his later decorative landscapes. The Campo Vaccino (now the Roman Forum) was the most painted archaeological site in Europe, attracting artists from across the continent. Boucher's treatment already shows his tendency to transform observed reality into decorative composition.

The Roman ruins are rendered with atmospheric warmth, the stone surfaces catching soft southern light. Boucher's palette shows Italian influence with warm ochres and blues, and the composition arranges the ruins for maximum picturesque effect.