Marie Adélaïde de Savoie (1685–1712), Duchesse de Bourgogne 1710

Pierre Gobert painted this portrait of Marie Adélaïde de Savoie, Duchesse de Bourgogne in the late 17th or early 18th century. The oval format and the soft pastel palette create a gentle, almost ethereal impression. The Duchesse's gaze is direct, yet there is a certain reserve that keeps the viewer at a respectful distance. Gobert's skill lies in his handling of light and texture. Note how the delicate fabric of her gown is rendered with subtle variations in tone, suggesting depth and volume. The draped fabric adds a sense of movement and dynamism to the composition, preventing it from becoming static. The inscriptions curve around the oval frame, flattening pictorial space, which pushes the figure towards the foreground. Ultimately, Gobert’s work reveals a tension between surface appearance and underlying structure. The portrait is more than a representation of an individual; it’s a carefully constructed image that uses line, color, and composition to convey ideas about status, power, and beauty within the formal conventions of courtly portraiture.