Portrait of Princess Louise Marie of France (1737-1787)

Princess Louise Marie of France, daughter of Louis XV, appears in this portrait from around 1751 at the Museum of the History of France at Versailles. Louise Marie was the youngest daughter of the king and would eventually become a Carmelite nun, like her sister. Her portrait by Drouais records the princess in the formal guise of royalty before her religious vocation transformed her life. 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 royal portrait follows standard Versailles conventions, with the princess shown in formal court dress against an appropriate background. Drouais"s polished technique renders the costume with the precision expected of a royal commission—every fold of silk, every jewel, every piece of lace described with care. The face shows the smooth, idealized features of Drouais"s court manner.