Portret van Marguerite-Élisabeth de Largillière 1738

This is Johann Georg Wille's portrait of Marguerite-Élisabeth de Largillière. Though the exact date remains unknown, the print offers a glimpse into the lives of women within the artistic and intellectual circles of 18th-century France. Marguerite-Élisabeth was the daughter of Nicolas de Largillière, a prominent painter and director of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. In this period, a woman's identity was often closely tied to her family's status, and this portrait is no exception. Encased in an oval frame, she embodies elegance and refinement through her dress and poise, reflecting the social expectations placed on women of her class. Yet, there's also a sense of quiet strength in her gaze. Holding a flower, she seems to engage the viewer, suggesting a subtle agency within the constraints of her societal role. Wille's portrait invites us to consider how women navigated the complex landscape of family duty, social expectation, and personal expression.