Portrait of a Woman 1793 - 1794

This delicate watercolor on ivory, made by Frédéric Dubois, captures a woman during a transformative era. The woman's dress and coiffure suggest an elite status, yet her soft gaze hints at the changing social mores of late 18th-century France. Produced during the tumultuous years of revolution and its aftermath, this portrait raises questions about the role of art in a society undergoing radical change. How did artists navigate the shifting political landscape? What visual cues signaled allegiance to old or new regimes? Miniature portraits like these were important displays of identity, class, and political affiliation. To truly understand this image, we delve into the archives: fashion plates, political pamphlets, and records of artistic patronage. These resources can help us to reconstruct the world in which this portrait was created and consumed, revealing the complex interplay between art, society, and revolution.