Pierre Louis Bouchard was born Pierre-François Bouchard in Lyon on 2 May, 1831 to Pierre Bouchard and Amelie Baron. He attended 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 Bouchard changed his name possibly to avoid confusion with the discoverer of the Rosetta Stone.

He 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 died at Villiers-le-Bel, Paris on 4 November, 1889.