Anne de Pisseleu (1508–1576), Duchesse d'Étampes

Anne de Pisseleu, Duchesse d'Étampes, painted around 1535-40, depicts the famous mistress of King François I. Anne was one of the most powerful women in France during the 1530s and 1540s, wielding enormous influence at court. Corneille's portrait captures her during the height of her power, before she was displaced by Diane de Poitiers upon Henri II's accession. The portrait's identification connects it to one of the most dramatic courts in European history.

Corneille renders the duchess with his characteristic precision, capturing her fashionable dress and headdress with meticulous detail. The face is modeled with particular care appropriate to such an important sitter, with luminous flesh tones and a direct, confident expression that suggests her formidable personality.