Ceremonial portrait

Marie Antoinette, 1775

Not on Viewexpand_more

This engraving preserves a lost portrait of the young twenty-year-old queen and was issued the year after Louis XVI was crowned king. Initially popular with the French public, the young Austrian princess made a memorable impression at her husband's coronation in her extravagant dress designed by the exclusive Parisian couturière, Rose Bertin, which embraced the latest trends in French fashion, and also for her famous "pouf" hairdo. Yet rumors still plagued Marie Antoinette's existence at the court, particularly with regard to intimate life with her husband, since after five years of marriage, she had still not fulfilled her primary duty of producing a child, and more important, a male heir to the throne.

Details
Title
Marie Antoinette
Artist Life
1739–1804
Role
Engraver
Accession Number
P.17,049
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know

Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.

Ceremonial portrait