Madame Jacques-Benoit Loys

Madame Jacques-Benoit Loys sits for this 1768 portrait at the Louvre, representing the wealthy bourgeois and minor aristocratic clientele that formed the backbone of Drouais"s practice alongside his royal commissions. The Louvre"s extensive collection of French portraiture provides the context for understanding Drouais"s range from the most exalted royal sitters to the prosperous Parisian upper-middle class. 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.

Drouais applies his polished court technique to a bourgeois sitter, demonstrating that his refined handling was not reserved exclusively for royalty. The costume, while elegant, may be slightly less elaborate than that of his aristocratic sitters. The face receives the same careful, flattering treatment. The palette is warm and harmonious, maintaining the high standard of finish across all levels of his clientele.