Portrait of a Woman, Said to be Madame Charles Simon Favart (Marie Justine Benoîte Duronceray, 1727–1772)

François-Hubert Drouais's supposed portrait of Marie Justine Benoîte Duronceray, known as Madame Favart, dates to 1757 and depicts one of the most celebrated actresses and librettists of the Paris stage. Madame Favart (1727–1772) was a star of the Opéra-Comique and a major cultural figure of mid-century Paris, admired for both her acting and her wit. A portrait of her by Drouais — even if the identification is traditional rather than documented — links the fashionable portrait painter to the theatrical world that fascinated Parisian society. The qualifier 'said to be' in the title reflects the uncertainty of the identification.

Drouais renders the subject with his characteristic refinement — smooth, creamy skin tones, elaborately detailed lace and silk, and a direct but elegant bearing. The composition likely employs a three-quarter pose with hands arranged to show the elaborate fabric of the costume.