Portrait de Marie de Flavigny, comtesse d’Agoult 1843

Henri Lehmann painted this portrait of Marie de Flavigny, comtesse d’Agoult, using oil on canvas. Lehmann's technique, typical of academic painting, involved layering thin glazes of oil paint to create a smooth, luminous surface. This process demanded meticulous skill and patience. But look closely and you’ll see brushstrokes, particularly in the background and the rendering of the fur stole. The visible labor in these areas contrasts with the polished finish of her face, drawing our attention to the class dynamics at play. The portrait celebrates aristocratic life, with its emphasis on refined beauty and luxurious materials. However, the very creation of such a work involved the labor of the artist, the suppliers of materials, and even the unseen workers who produced the countess’s garments and accessories. Understanding these layers of making and social context allows us to appreciate the painting not just as a representation of wealth and status, but also as a document of the complex web of labor that sustained it.