This portrait is an excellent example of the type of portrait that was in vogue in France during the last part of the 17th century and the early part of the 18th. The sitter is sumptuously dressed in a blue gown with collarette, and a silk mantle that elegantly flows behind the sitter; this touch creates a sense of movement to the picture. France during this period was the leading exponent of fashion and the arts to the rest of Europe and the fashions arose from the French court itself. The expensive fabrics, the jewels, and the whiteness of the skin are distinctive marks of the sitter’s social status.The treatment of the white lace is very good; it’s technique required painstaking work. A feature of this portrait is its fine 17th century carved and gilded hardwood frame, decorated with acorns and acanthus leaves - a fine work of art in itself.Francois de Troy was born in Toulouse in 1645 and was taught the basic skills of painting by his father, and possibly by Antoine Dura...