Charlotte Philippine de Châtre du Cangé, Marquise de Lamure
Artist
Charles Antonie Coypel
(French, 1694–1752)
Dateabout 1735
Mediumpastel on blue paper laid down on linen
Dimensions75.5 x 61.9 cm (29 3/4 x 24 3/8 in.)
ClassificationsPastels
Credit LineTheodore T. and Mary G. Ellis Collection
Object number1940.61
Label TextCharles-Antoine Coypel likely produced this ornate portrait of Charlotte Philippine de Châtre du Cangé soon after her first marriage to Jean Pierre Imbert. It uses a technique called trompe l’oeil—trick of the eye—to create the three-dimensional illusion of Châtre du Cangé resting her forearms on a carriage window. Coypel masterfully reproduces the tactile qualities of her attire; the velvet, lace, fur, silk, even her creamy skin, all indicate her elite social status.
Châtre du Cangé’s targeted gaze contrasts with the graceful way her right hand gently clutches a fan. This juxtaposition of power and familiarity suggests access to a complex internal life—atypical of eighteenth-century portraits of French women.ProvenanceDe La Rue, Chateau des Caites, Caen; Baron de Reuter Sale, Christies, July 1, 1899, no. 105; Duveen Brothers, purchased by T. Ellis in 1929.On View
Not on viewCollections
