Portrait of Madame de Pompadour (or similar 18th-century French portrait with a cat)
Oil painting on canvas • Circle or manner of Jean-Baptiste Perronneau (French, 1715-1783)
Style & Movement
Rococo / French School
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, employing fine glazing, delicate brushwork, and soft chiaroscuro typical of the Rococo period
Creation Period
Mid-18th century, circa 1745-1755
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 32 x 25 inches (81 x 63 cm), vertical portrait format
Subject Description
A half-length portrait of an elegant 18th-century woman turned in profile, wearing a light-colored silk gown adorned with blue ribbons and lace, a dark choker necklace with pearls, and her hair dressed with blue floral ornaments. She holds a gray cat with a bell collar against her body. The composition features a neutral, dark background and a wooden chair back, emphasizing the softness of her skin and textures of her garments.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Very Good. The paint layer appears stable with minor craquelure consistent with age. Colors remain vibrant and canvas tension is adequate within the period-style frame.
Estimated Market Value
$50,000 - $150,000
Auction Estimate
$40,000 - $80,000
Provenance History
Likely passed through European private collections, art dealer inventories, or museum acquisitions in the 19th and 20th centuries, standard for high-quality French 18th-century portraiture.
Art Historical Significance
Representative of French Rococo portraiture where intimate, charming depictions of nobility or bourgeois elites accompanied by pets became highly fashionable. Reflects the technical finesse of Perronneau's circle.
Notable Features
Exquisitely detailed rendering of the cat's fur and expression, delicate lace and ribbon textures, set in an ornate, heavily carved and gilded Louis XV style Rococo frame.
Condition Issues
Minor surface dirt accumulation, subtle varnish yellowing, and potential historical minor retouching along the edges associated with framing.
Conservation Recommendations
Surface cleaning by a professional conservator, maintaining stable climate-controlled environment (50% RH, 20°C), and low-lux UV-filtered lighting.