Portrait of Marie Antoinette
Medium
Stipple engraving and etching, printed in colors
Dimensions
plate: 17 5/16 x 11 3/4 in. (44 x 29.8 cm) sheet: 21 1/4 x 15 1/16 in. (54 x 38.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Susan Dwight Bliss, 1956
Accession Number
56.558.26
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
This vibrant stipple engraving and etching captures Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France before the Revolution, in a regal yet approachable manner. Created between 1786 and 1800 after a design associated with Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, the print reflects the Neoclassical elegance for which the artist was renowned. Vigée Le Brun’s portraits often presented the queen with dignity and warmth, countering public criticism during a turbulent era. Printed in delicate colors using stipple engraving—a technique of fine dots that creates soft tonal effects—this work highlights the innovative...
About the Artist
Dufroe|John Curtis|Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun|Marie Antoinette, Queen of France (French|British|French|French, born Austria) · 0018 |1786 |1755 |1755 –0018 |1800 |1842 |1792
French, 18th century|British, active 1786–1800|French, Paris 1755–1842 Paris|French (born Austria), Vienna 1755–1792 Paris