Follower of Jean-Marc Nattier

Follower of JEAN-MARC NATTIER (1685-1766) France, 19th century.
"Portrait of the Marquise de Belestat".
Oil on canvas.
Presents stamp of the atelier.
Measurements: 91 x 71 cm; 110 x 90 cm (frame).
This elegant nineteenth-century composition faithfully follows the famous model made by Jean-Marc Nattier around 1755 and currently preserved in the Wallace Collection in London. The painting depicts Marie-Charlotte de Châteaurenaud, Marquise de Belestat, a figure linked to the court of Louis XV and lady-in-waiting to the monarch's daughters at Versailles. Her presence in French court life was also immortalized in a famous episode that occurred during a card game in 1754, an anecdotal event that was collected in verses by Voltaire, proof of the social notoriety of the protagonist within the aristocratic circles of the eighteenth century.
The work accurately captures the main stylistic characteristics of Jean-Marc Nattier, considered the great portraitist of the French rococo nobility and one of the favorite artists of the court of Versailles. Nattier developed a pictorial language based on the elegant idealization of his models, represented with a delicate refinement, a serene beauty and an ornamental sophistication intended to exalt the prestige and social distinction of the aristocracy. His portraits combine naturalism and courtly theatricality, becoming authentic visual symbols of 18th century French taste.
In this composition, the Marquise is portrayed half-length, dressed in a refined ivory-colored bodice enriched with delicate lace and accompanied by a wide light blue cape that brings luminosity and chromatic richness to the whole. A floral bouquet attached to the neckline introduces a subtle decorative element and accentuates the gallant sensibility of the French rococo. The softness of the facial modeling, the pearly smoothness of the skin and the direct and captivating gaze of the model stand out, elements that contribute to build an image of youthful grace and aristocratic elegance.