Portrait of Madame Baquoy 1820

André Dutertre created this graphite drawing of Madame Baquoy, although the exact date of its creation remains unknown. Dutertre was a Neoclassical painter, and his portrait provides a glimpse into the life of a woman during an era of shifting social structures. Madame Baquoy is depicted with a certain softness, which defies the rigidity often associated with Neoclassical portraiture. While the French Revolution challenged the aristocracy, class distinctions still influenced representation; the elaborate lace bonnet and ruffled collar suggest Madame Baquoy's bourgeois status and attention to fashion. Yet, there’s an interesting tension. The direct gaze and the subtle hint of a smile challenge the demure passivity often expected of women in portraiture at the time. This portrait invites us to reflect on the complexities of identity and representation during a period of social upheaval, and to question the stories that history often silences.