Artwork

Portrait of a lady as Pomona, traditionally identified as the Marquise de Parabère

Portrait of a lady as Pomona, traditionally identified as the Marquise de Parabère is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Nicolas de Largillière. It dates from 1714 and is held in the collection of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1714 by French painter Nicolas de Largillière, this oil work belongs to the Rococo period and is part of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister collection. It portrays a seated lady in a light, flowing dress, crowned with flowers and holding a pomegranate, accompanied by mythological figures.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is identified as Marie‑Madeleine de Parabère, presented as Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit trees. Beside her sit Cupid and the deity Vertumnus, linking themes of love, fertility and the abundance of nature.

Technique & Style

Largillière employs a subtle chiaroscuro that models the figures against a verdant backdrop of trees and scattered fruit, giving the scene depth and a gentle three‑dimensionality characteristic of Rococo elegance.

History & Provenance

The painting was executed during Largillière’s tenure as director of the Académie de Peinture et de Sculpture (1733‑35) and has remained in the German Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, where it is displayed among other 18th‑century French works.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Nicolas de Largillière

Nicolas de Largillière (French: ; baptised 10 October 1656 – 20 March 1746) was a French painter and draughtsman. From 1733 until 1735, he was director of the Académie de Peinture et de Sculpture.

Museum

Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

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