Artwork

Louise-Elisabeth de Bourbon (1695-1775)

Louise-Elisabeth de Bourbon (1695-1775), by Pierre Gobert, oil, 1710
Louise-Elisabeth de Bourbon (1695-1775), by Pierre Gobert, oil, 1710

Louise-Elisabeth de Bourbon (1695-1775) is an oil painting by the French Classical Baroque artist Pierre Gobert. It dates from 1710 and is held in the collection of the Palace of Versailles.

About this work

Overview

Pierre Gobert’s 1710 oil portrait presents Louise‑Élisabeth de Bourbon, a French noblewoman of the early eighteenth century. Executed for the court, the work now belongs to the collection of the Palace of Versailles. The composition places the sitter in a verdant interior, emphasizing her aristocratic status through attire and setting.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait shows Louise‑Élisabeth in a white gown with puffed sleeves, a fine necklace, and a floral arrangement in her hair, her dark hair gathered in an up‑do. Her calm, slightly distant expression and the surrounding foliage convey ideals of elegance, composure, and the cultivated femininity prized among the French elite.

Technique & Style

Gobert employs a smooth, highly finished brushwork that renders the textures of silk, lace, and foliage with precise realism. The delicate modeling of light on the fabric and the subtle gradations of tone create a three‑dimensional presence, while the balanced composition and restrained palette reflect the courtly portrait conventions of the Régence period.

History & Provenance

Commissioned around 1710, the portrait entered the royal collection and has remained associated with the Bourbon lineage. It is presently displayed at the Palace of Versailles, where it forms part of the museum’s holdings of early‑18th‑century court portraiture, illustrating the visual culture of Louis XIV’s successors.

Context

During the early 1700s, French portraiture emphasized the display of rank and refinement. Gobert, a favored painter of the court, often portrayed members of the aristocracy in settings that combined natural motifs with luxurious textiles, aligning the sitter’s personal identity with the broader aesthetic of regal propriety.

Artist & collection

Artist

Pierre Gobert

Pierre Gobert (1662–1744) was an artist, born in Fontainebleau.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Palace of Versailles open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.