Portrait of the Marquise d'Orvilliers

David painted Portrait of the Marquise d'Orvilliers around 1790, one of his finest female portraits from the pre-Revolutionary and early Revolutionary period. The marquise is depicted with the restraint and psychological concentration of his mature portrait style: the elegant dress simply rendered, the background dark and neutral, all the attention concentrated on the face and the direct, thoughtful gaze. The portrait's Neoclassical economy — the elimination of decorative accessories and elaborate settings in favor of essential character — makes it one of the purest examples of his approach to female portraiture before the social upheaval of the Revolution transformed his professional world.

David renders the marquise with characteristic precision, the cool palette and smooth modeling creating an effect of porcelain elegance. The simple background and direct pose focus attention on the sitter's composed, slightly melancholic expression.