Madame Du Barry as Flora

Madame Du Barry appears as the goddess Flora in this 1774 portrait from the Demidov collection, another in the extensive series of mythological portraits Drouais produced of the royal mistress. Du Barry"s portraits as Flora, Diana, and other classical figures allowed Drouais to display her beauty in idealized settings while providing the fashionable mythological disguise that court taste demanded. Drouais was among the most successful portraitists of pre-Revolutionary France, working in the tradition of his father Hubert Drouais and studying under Carle van Loo, Natoire, and Boucher before establishing himself at court.

The Flora costume—flowers in the hair, classical drapery, a garland or bouquet—creates a lighter, more colorful image than formal court dress. Drouais renders the floral elements with precise botanical observation while maintaining the overall idealization of the portrait. Du Barry"s features are presented with the smooth, flattering technique that made Drouais her preferred portraitist. The palette is warmer and more varied than his formal portraits.