Portrait of Madame Du Barry

Vigée Le Brun employed chiaroscuro to achieve depth and dimensionality, juxtaposing Madame du Barry against a dark background. The painting balances Rococo elegance with nascent Neoclassical influences, characteristic of the transitional period in which it was created.

Painted in 1791, the work reflects Vigée Le Brun's specialization in portraiture during her active career spanning the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Created during the stylistic shift from Rococo to Neoclassicism, the portrait embodies the lingering elegance of the former while hinting at the emerging austerity of the latter, situating it within the broader artistic evolution of late 18th-century France.