Portrait of Madame du Barry (1743-1793)

Madame Du Barry appears in this 1770 portrait at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, one of the versions of her image that were distributed as diplomatic gifts or entered foreign collections through the art market. Du Barry"s portrait"s presence in Spain demonstrates the international circulation of French court portraiture, which served both aesthetic and political functions. 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 portrait follows the established formula for Du Barry"s image, with Drouais"s smooth technique creating the flattering likeness expected by the sitter. Variations between versions are typically subtle—adjustments to costume, background, or format. The handling maintains the consistent quality that characterizes Drouais"s production across multiple versions of the same subject.