Portrait of Adrienne-Sophie Marquise de ***

Art Historical Context

Created in 1779 by the accomplished French engraver Augustin de Saint-Aubin, this etching portrays Adrienne-Sophie, Marquise de ***, a member of the French nobility during the final decades of the ancien régime. Saint-Aubin, part of a celebrated family of artists, was renowned for his refined portrait prints that captured the elegance and social standing of his sitters. The work belongs to a vibrant tradition of 18th-century French graphic art, when etchings served both as personal mementos and as vehicles for circulating images of aristocratic life. Executed in etching—a technique prized for its delicate, precise lines—this impression represents the third of four states, revealing the artist’s careful revisions to refine details of costume and expression. Such prints were highly valued for their ability to convey texture, from lace and silk to powdered hair, offering viewers a glimpse into the fashions and ideals of pre-Revolutionary France. Today in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, the portrait invites reflection on the role of printmaking in preserving the likenesses and status of women at a pivotal moment in European history.

About the Artist

Augustin de Saint-Aubin · 1736–1807

Comment on works: Illustrator; Engraver