Marie-Pauline Bonaparte, Princess Borghese 1805 - 1824

Curator: This is Jacques-Louis David’s sketch of Marie-Pauline Bonaparte, Princess Borghese, currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. It is a pencil drawing measuring about 21 by 16 centimeters. Editor: It feels fragile, almost ephemeral. You can see the grid lines he used to construct the figure. It gives it a very calculated, academic feel. Curator: Indeed. David’s neo-classicism was, in part, a reaction to the perceived decadence of the aristocracy. This sketch, though unfinished, reveals the rigorous process behind portraying power. Editor: Yes, but look at Pauline's pose, the slight contrapposto, the way she holds the fabric. It’s all about conveying an ideal of beauty and status, even in this early stage. It reminds one of the Venus Pudica. Curator: And, of course, Pauline herself, as Napoleon’s sister, was a key figure in the construction of the Bonaparte dynasty's image, so David's work served an important political function. Editor: It is quite an insight into the way these images were crafted. Curator: It surely is.