Portret van Louise Françoise de La Baume Le Blanc de la Vallière 1670 - 1713

This etching by Pieter Schenk (1660-1711) portrays Louise Françoise de La Baume Le Blanc de la Vallière (1644-1710), a mistress of King Louis XIV of France. This print, now held by the Rijksmuseum, depicts La Vallière in an elegant pose, her gaze directed toward the viewer. The detail of the fabric folds and the delicate landscape background are characteristic of Schenk's work. This piece is an example of 17th-century portraiture, a genre that emphasized the sitter's social status and personal qualities.