This informal pose is an intimate portrayal of an elegant young woman captured at her dressing table (which has been laid out with a mirror and other accoutrements - evidence of privilege and wealth). If only the sitter were to know what the future were to bestow upon her family… it is thought that they were on the wrong side of the Revolution and forced to flee, and their many estates confiscated.The graceful composition, and rich and delicate brushwork create an alluring image and the light palette and softness result in an airbrushed finish in line with the Rococo movement and the work of ‘Madame Lebrun’. The image illustrates the artist''s virtuosic handling of material. Lebrun’s elegant portraits were very popular with European high society and led her to become Marie-Antoinette''s painter in 1779. The work is still very much in demand as seen in the results of a sale at Christies New York in 2014 where a portrait from Lebrun’s circle achieved $93,750. The artist has ...