Artwork

Madame Roubiliac, née Nicole Céleste Regnier (c.1722–c.1782), Fourth Wife of Louis François Roubiliac

Madame Roubiliac, née Nicole Céleste Regnier (c.1722–c.1782), Fourth Wife of Louis François Roubiliac is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist François Xavier Vispré. It dates from 1760 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. François‑Xavier Vispré’s 1760 oil portrait presents Nicole Céleste Regnier, the fourth spouse of sculptor Louis François Roubiliac.

About this work

Overview

François‑Xavier Vispré’s 1760 oil portrait presents Nicole Céleste Regnier, the fourth spouse of sculptor Louis François Roubiliac. Rendered in the Rococo idiom, the work shows the sitter seated at a desk, dressed in a red gown with a fur‑trimmed collar and a broad hat, holding a sheet of paper. The painting is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

Regnier, known as Madame Roubiliac, is portrayed with an air of genteel composure, her attire and accessories signalling the social standing expected of a sculptor’s wife in mid‑eighteenth‑century Britain. The inclusion of a desk and paper may allude to her role in managing household affairs or to a cultured, literate identity, reflecting contemporary expectations of refined femininity.

Technique & Style

Vispré employs the soft, diffused lighting typical of Rococo portraiture, allowing subtle gradations of tone across the flesh and fabrics. The oil medium yields a tactile surface, emphasizing the sheen of the red dress and the plush texture of the fur collar. Delicate brushwork defines the intricate details of the hat and the paper, creating a sense of depth and immediacy.

History & Provenance

The portrait was executed in 1760 while Vispré was active in London and Dublin, cities where he pursued both painting and printmaking. After changing hands over the ensuing centuries, the work entered the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s holdings of eighteenth‑century portraiture.

Context

The painting reflects the cross‑channel artistic exchange of the period, with a French‑born artist applying Rococo aesthetics to an English patron’s family. It also illustrates the visual culture surrounding artists’ households, offering insight into how spouses of prominent sculptors were represented within the broader framework of eighteenth‑century portrait conventions.