Portret van Marianne Lavergne 1746 - 1763

Jean Daullé created this engraving, "Portret van Marianne Lavergne", sometime in the 18th century. The portrait captures Marianne Lavergne, a woman of the French aristocracy, absorbed in reading a letter. During the 1700s, French society was highly stratified, with the aristocracy enjoying immense privilege and influence. This work provides a glimpse into the lives of upper-class women, whose identities were often shaped by their social status and family connections. The intimate nature of the portrait, with Marianne engrossed in her private correspondence, hints at the emotional and intellectual lives of women within this structured society. Her dress is sumptuous, and her posture relaxed; all conveying a sense of the domestic and the feminine. Yet, there's also a sense of restraint, perhaps reflecting the limitations placed on women's roles in public life. Does this portrait celebrate or subtly critique the constraints of aristocratic life? Think about how Marianne's individual experience intersects with the broader social and political landscape of her time.