Marguerite-Marie Lagnier, ten years old 1796

Pierre-Paul Prud'hon painted Marguerite-Marie Lagnier, ten years old, using oil on canvas. It’s a portrait from France, likely made during the late 18th or early 19th century. Prud'hon was working during a period of immense social change, from the Enlightenment through the French Revolution and into the Napoleonic era. This portrait reflects the changing ideals around childhood. Rather than portraying Marguerite-Marie as a miniature adult, as was common in earlier periods, there's an emphasis on her youth and innocence. Her simple dress, soft lighting, and gentle expression all contribute to this idealization. The painting embodies a shift in social values towards a more sentimental and naturalistic view of childhood. Art historians often use family records, letters, and other period documents to better understand these evolving social attitudes and their impact on artistic representation. The meaning of this portrait is thus contingent on these broader social and institutional contexts.