Portrait of Mme Antoinette-Louise Issard-Lacour, married to Ch. A. Bourlet de Vauxelles 1768 - 1771

Alexander Roslin painted this oval portrait of Madame Antoinette-Louise Issard-Lacour with oil on canvas. The pale face of the subject, framed by a powdered wig, is immediately striking. The bright, cool tones contrast with the dark background, creating a focal point that draws the eye. Roslin's technical skill is evident in the delicate brushwork and the attention to detail in the rendering of the lace and fabric. The formal composition is arranged according to a clear structural logic. The symmetrical balance of the face, bisected vertically, is offset by the decorative asymmetry of her dress, destabilizing any sense of perfect symmetry. The work presents a study in contrasts—between the controlled artifice of the wig and the naturalistic rendering of her face, and between the rigid conventions of portraiture and the subtle hints of individual character. The portrait then, is not merely a representation but an exploration of the interplay between surface and depth, artifice and reality, in the construction of identity.