Portrait of Madame Ditte-Harmite 1825

Jean-Baptiste Isabey rendered this portrait of Madame Ditte-Harmite in graphite on paper, in 1823. Isabey lived through a period of immense social and political change in France. Serving as court painter to both Napoleon and later the restored Bourbon monarchy, he deftly navigated the intricacies of power and patronage. Here, Madame Ditte-Harmite's fashionable attire and carefully styled hair speak to the importance of appearance and social status in post-revolutionary France. The soft graphite lends the portrait an air of gentility and refinement. But notice the subtle tension in her expression – a hint of the anxieties and uncertainties of a society still grappling with the aftermath of revolution. Through the intimate medium of portraiture, Isabey captures not only the likeness of Madame Ditte-Harmite but also reflects the complex interplay of identity, class, and social expectation in 19th-century France.