The Marquise de Pezay,and the Marquise de Rougé with Her Sons Alexis and Adrien 1787

Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun painted this double portrait in France, at a time when the traditional institutions of art were being challenged by new social and political ideas. The subjects, two aristocratic women and their children, are depicted in a style that emphasizes their refined elegance. This image subtly creates meaning through its visual codes. The women's elaborate dresses, fashionable hairstyles, and delicate features all speak to their social status and wealth. The tenderness in the poses suggests a world of private affection. This painting reflects the cultural values of the French aristocracy on the eve of the Revolution. It presents an ideal of feminine beauty and maternal devotion but as historians we must ask, does this image challenge or reinforce the existing social norms of its time? Further research into the lives of these women, and the artist, as well as the history of the French court, will give us the answer.