Portrait of the Artist's Wife Marie Suzanne, née Giroust

Alexander Roslin's Portrait of the Artist's Wife Marie Suzanne, née Giroust, from 1763 is among the most intimate and revealing works by this Swedish-born master of French court portraiture. Marie Suzanne Giroust (1734–1772) was herself a gifted painter — she became the first female member of the Académie royale to specialize in pastel portraiture — and Roslin's portrait of his artist-wife carries an unusual equality and tenderness. The choice to depict her in a three-quarter format with direct gaze rather than the more allegorical or elaborate modes he used for court sitters suggests genuine intimacy rather than professional commission.

Roslin brings his full technical mastery to his wife's portrait — the shimmering silk of her dress is rendered with the extraordinary textile precision for which he was celebrated, while the face achieves a warmth and psychological directness characteristic of his most personal work.