Portret Marie Antoinette van Oostenrijk before 1827

This portrait of Marie Antoinette was created by Nicolas Henri Jacob. The lithograph presents a regal figure encased in an oval frame. The composition is dominated by soft gradations of light, creating an ethereal quality. The portrait itself is carefully structured: the Queen’s elaborate hairstyle and feathered headwear balance the intricate detailing of her necklace and gown. Jacob uses the circular frame to focus attention on Marie Antoinette’s face, a semiotic signifier of her status and identity. Despite the apparent order and symmetry, one can observe the subtle destabilization of power. The softness of the lithographic medium, combined with the delicate lines, presents the Queen not as an unyielding figure of authority, but one defined by fragility. In this context, Jacob offers a complex interplay between representation, power, and the semiotic codes of portraiture.