What can a dress tell us about politics 300 years ago?
Art historian Amber Butchart introduces us to one of the most famous women of the 18th century, Madame de Pompadour.
Although the grandest of the many portraits of Madame de Pompadour, this is also the most naturalistic image of her, which avoids the rigid formality or mythological trappings of much court portraiture. The former mistress of Louis XV, Madame de Pompadour had become an international celebrity by the end of her life, when this portrait was painted. However, she is presented here in her apartment at Versailles as an almost matronly figure embodying bourgeois virtue and industry as she works at a tapestry accompanied by one of her dogs.
She was an important patron of the fine, applied and performing arts and a leader of taste in matters of fashion and style, particularly the Rococo style. The objects around her testify to her interest in the arts and literature. Close examination reveals that the portrait is in fact made up of two canvases. A smaller canvas – including the head, shoulders and right forearm – has been incorporated into the larger full-length portrait.
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Humphrey Wine, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Eighteenth Century French Paintings’, London 2018; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
This is a French Louis XV ‘pastel frame’. Water-gilded and made of oak, the top edge features bundled reeding with a leaf design, known as ‘Philippe d’Orléans’ carving. The back edge is adorned with a cabochon motif. A wide reverse ogee section transitions into a narrow, astragal moulding, leading to a hollow and culminating at the sight edge with a finely carved French acanthus-leaf motif.
During the reign of Louis XV, pastel portraits gained immense popularity in Paris, leading to the creation of a distinctive style of frame specifically designed for works on paper, known as the ‘pastel frame’. This particular frame, unusual for its large size, is a rare find. Acquired in 2009, the frame was fitted to Drouais’ Madame de Pompadour at her Tambour Frame.
If you know more about this work or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.