Madame François Buron 1769

Jacques Louis David painted this portrait of Madame François Buron in France, likely around the 1780s. Her clothing and hairstyle place her squarely within the upper echelons of French society just before the revolution. But look at her pose. She's resting her head in her hand, a gesture of contemplation or perhaps even weariness. She is surrounded by books, and reading one that appears to be filled with colorful floral illustrations. David seems to be hinting at the intellectual life of women, a topic that was fiercely debated in the late 18th century. Were women capable of serious study, or were they best suited to decorative accomplishments? To understand this painting fully, we need to consult the writings of the Enlightenment, conduct archival research into the sitter's life, and examine the changing role of women in French society. It is the role of the historian to dig deeper into the context that shaped its creation and reception.