Portrait of a Lady of Quality, Circle of Jean-Marc Nattier (1685–1766)
This exquisitely detailed portrait likely depicts one of King Louis XV’s daughters, traditionally identified as Madame Victoire.
The princess is shown in a silk dressing gown, an informal yet exquisitely refined indoor outfit that perfectly exemplifies the elegance of 18th-century French fashion.
Far from being careless, this sartorial choice underscores the sitter’s high rank through its studied simplicity. Her bodice is delicately adorned with a diamond brooch, while a pink veil rests upon powdered hair, in accordance with the aristocratic beauty standards of the time.
The work is entirely consistent with the aesthetic of Jean-Marc Nattier, the official portraitist of the Mesdames de France at the court of Versailles.
Nattier was renowned for having revitalized the genre of female portraiture, notably through his exceptional mastery of rendering skin tones and the sheen of fabrics. Although precise identification remains to be confirmed.
The attribution to the circle of Jean-Marc Nattier here suggests the hand of an artist who worked in the painter’s immediate sphere, employing his visual codes such as the ethereal treatment of textiles and a pastel color palette typical of the Rococo style.
French School, 18th century
Circle of Jean-Marc Nattier
Oil on canvas
With frame: 105 cm x 92 cm
Unframed: 82 cm x 66 cm (32 1/4 x 26 in.)
