Marie Gabrielle Capet and Marie Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond 1780 - 1790

Adélaïde Labille-Guiard made this chalk drawing of Marie Gabrielle Capet and Marie Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond in France during the late 1700s. It exemplifies the shifting status of women artists in a patriarchal society. Labille-Guiard was one of the few women admitted to the Royal Academy, an institution that greatly shaped artistic careers. Her choice to portray two female figures, possibly students or fellow artists, challenges traditional portraiture, often dominated by male subjects. Consider the politics of imagery: While women were gaining some recognition as artists, their representation in art was still largely controlled by men. By depicting women, Labille-Guiard asserted a female perspective and agency within the art world. Understanding this drawing requires researching the Royal Academy's records, the biographies of the women portrayed, and the broader social and cultural context of late 18th-century France. This helps us see how art can reflect, critique, and shape the social norms of its time.