Portret van Marie Françoise Perdrigon 1816 - 1889

Johannes de Mare made this portrait of Marie Françoise Perdrigon using lithography. The trappings of wealth and status are carefully deployed here, with a cupid, vase of flowers, and elaborate gown signaling the sitter's place within the French aristocracy of the 1800s. What is interesting is the way de Mare made the portrait: lithography was a relatively new printmaking technique at the time, and its use here shows the democratizing influence of the printing press on portraiture. This image raises questions about the relationship between art and social class: it invites us to consider how portraits operate as a form of social currency, and how technological advancements may have challenged the existing social order. As historians, we can use resources such as period newspapers, fashion plates, and genealogical records to better understand the historical context of this portrait.