Artwork
Françoise Charlotte d'Aubigné with her aunt Madame de Maintenon.

Françoise Charlotte d'Aubigné with her aunt Madame de Maintenon. is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Louis Ferdinand Elle the Younger. It dates from 1694 and is held in the collection of the Palace of Versailles.
About this work
Overview
Louis-Ferdinand Elle the Younger, a French portraitist active in the late 17th century, executed an oil painting in 1694 that portrays a young girl beside her aunt, the Marquise de Maintenon. The work is classified within the Rococo period and is presently housed in the collection of the Palace of Versailles.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features Françoise Charlotte d'Aubigné, a child of modest age, standing beside her aunt, Françoise d'Aubigné, later known as Madame de Maintenon. The intimate pose—an affectionate hand on the child's shoulder—suggests familial closeness and the role of the aunt as a guardian or mentor within the household.
Technique & Style
Rendered in oil on canvas, the painting employs a soft palette typical of early Rococo, with the girl's light‑green silk dress catching reflected light against the darker, lace‑trimmed attire of the seated figure. Subtle chiaroscuro models the forms, while a painted landscape backdrop adds depth and a hint of the outside world.
History & Provenance
Created shortly after the death of King Louis XIV, the portrait entered the royal collection and has remained at Versailles since the 18th century. Its attribution to Elle the Younger rests on stylistic analysis and archival records linking the artist to court commissions during that decade.
Artist & collection
Artist
Louis Ferdinand Elle the Younger
Louis Ferdinand Elle the Younger (1648–1717) was a French portrait painter and the son of Louis Ferdinand Elle the Elder.






