Portrait Of Aglaé Angélique Gabrielle 

Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun painted this portrait of Aglaé Angélique Gabrielle using oil on canvas. Le Brun was one of the few women admitted to the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. This institution shaped artistic production in France, and gaining entry was essential for any artist hoping to achieve success. The portrait displays an elegant woman, and the artist's skills as a portraitist are evident in the subtle gradations of tone that model her face and the delicate rendering of her dress. But this is more than just a pretty picture. As a woman artist working in a male-dominated world, Le Brun was acutely aware of the social and political forces that shaped her career. She would have used the position afforded to her to question and challenge the norms of her time. To understand this painting better, we could examine the records of the French Royal Academy and the writings of contemporary critics. By doing so, we can better understand the social conditions that shaped its creation and reception.