'Portrait of Madame de Serilly', white marble, French XVIIIc. cat. card dims H. 34-l/2 x W. 24'; weight 271 lbs.

Portrait of Madame de Sérilly, 1780

Marbleexpand_more

Gift of Mrs. John Barry Ryanexpand_more  75.30

Not on Viewexpand_more

Youth, beauty, wealth: Madame de Sérilly had it all. She was just 17 when Jean-Antoine Houdon, the foremost French portrait sculptor of the day, captured her in marble on the occasion of her marriage. But the marriage was short-lived. Her husband was executed during the French Revolution for supporting the royal family; Mme de Sérilly, a lady-in-waiting to Queen Marie-Antoinette, was imprisoned. She would marry twice more after her release, but at 36 she succumbed to smallpox. Houdon fared better: His fame brought him to the United States, where he sculpted busts of George Washington and other American political figures.

Details
Title
Portrait of Madame de Sérilly
Artist Life
1741-1828
Role
Artist
Accession Number
75.30
Curator Approved

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'Portrait of Madame de Serilly', white marble, French XVIIIc. cat. card dims H. 34-l/2 x W. 24'; weight 271 lbs.