Portrait of a Lady

616
Portrait of a Lady
1721
François de Troy

After moving from Toulouse to Paris when he was fifteen, François de Troy achieved a prolific academic career and became the leading portraitist of his time. French courtiers sat for him, and so did citizens.

This portrait of a lady has all the properties of de Troy's art: a simply painted figure with indications of her social position, and a harmonious balance between the powerful draughtsmanship and the free treatment of colour. The lady, shown down to the waist, is behind a green marble table. Her body is slightly turned left, and the face is seen frontally. Despite the realistic treatment, there was an obvious attempt to embellish her look, which was typical of de Troy.