Portrait of Constance Pipelet 1797

Jean Baptiste François Désoria painted this oil on canvas portrait of Constance Pipelet in France, sometime in the late 1700s or early 1800s. Constance Pipelet’s dress, à la grecque, consciously imitates classical statuary. It shows the influence of ancient Greek and Roman culture on French society at the time. This style of dress became popular in France at the beginning of the French Revolution. This portrait appears to comment on the social structures of its own time by portraying the sitter in a way that challenged the formal aristocratic norms. Pipelet holds a book in her hand, implying education and intellect, a notion that was increasingly valued in French society at the time. To understand the context of this piece, we could research fashion trends in France, and read contemporary reviews of Désoria’s art. By looking into the socio-political, economic, and cultural forces in which this art was made, we can better understand its significance.