Drouais - Adélaïde of France

Madame Adelaide of France, eldest surviving daughter of Louis XV, appears in this 1763 portrait at the Museum of the History of France at Versailles. Adelaide was the most politically active of Louis XV"s daughters, maintaining influence at court and supporting various factions. Drouais painted the princesses of France repeatedly, creating a visual record of the royal daughters from childhood through middle age. 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 princess is presented in the formal attire appropriate to her rank, with Drouais rendering the elaborate costume with his customary precision. The face shows Adelaide"s distinctive features, characterized with the diplomatic balance between naturalism and idealization that court portraiture required. The palette features the rich colors of court dress.