Madame de Pompadour
Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Madame de Pompadour, the official mistress of King Louis XV. Madame de Pompadour became the first woman of Bourgeoisie origins to ever become the King’s mistress in the French Royal Court.
And as the years went on, Madame de Pompadour worked her way up to the most powerful branch of the court. She eventually graduated from mistress to the King’s political advisor and became involved with domestic and foreign affairs. In fact it was Madame de Pompadour who made most of the decisions on France’s behalf during the Seven Years War.
Madame de Pompadour was also an important patron of the arts. She would become Boucher’s favorite model and can be found in nine separate portraits by him. Through her patronage, Madame de Pompadour greatly influenced and inspired the development of the Rococo style.
Listen to ArtMuse’s two part episode on Madame de Pompadour:
This episode is produced by Kula Production Company.
REFERENCES
Mitford, Nancy. Madame de Pompadour, by Nancy Mitford. Hamilton, 1968.
Pevitt, Christine. Madame de Pompadour: Mistress of France. Grove Press, 2002.
FURTHER REFERENCES
IMAGES
Charles Le Normant de Tournehem, who some suspect was Madame de Pompadour’s real father. Engraving after his portrait by Louis Tocqué.
Hyacinthe Rigaud, Louis XV (1710–1774) as a Child, oil on canvas, 1716–24.
Jean-Marc Nattier, Portrait of Louis XV of France, oil on canvas, 1745. Painted the year Madame de Pompadour became the King’s mistress.
Jean Baptiste Van Loo, Maire Leczinska Queen of France, oil on canvas, 1725. Pictured the year she became Queen of France.
Portrait of Madame de Pompadour’s husband, Charles-Guillaume Le Normand. Portrait artist and date unknown.
Eugène Delacroix, View in the Forest of Sénart, oil on canvas, 1849.
Nicolas de Largillière, François-Marie Arouet known as Voltaire, oil on canvas, 1720’s.
Jean-Marc Nattier, Marie Anne de Mailly-Nesle, oil on cavnas, 1740. King Louis XV’s mistress before Madame de Pompadour.
Jean-Marc Nattier, Madame de Pompadour as Diana the Huntress, oil on canvas, 1746. One year after Madame de Pompadour became mistress.
Picture of King Louis XV’s, “Petite Cabinets”.
Image of Sevres’s porcelain factory, from the 1800’s.
Genius of Music; engraved print by Madame de Pompadour of a drawing by Boucher, after an engraved gemstone by Guay c. 1755.
Dog; engraved print by Madame de Pompadour of a drawing by Boucher, after an engraved gemstone by Guay c. 1755.
Carnelian and gold ring shows the profile of Asclepius, Greek god of medicine and healing, engraved by Madame de Pompadour.
Surviving drawing of Madame de Pompadour’s chateau at Crecy.
Madame de Pompadour’s Hermitage at Versailles as it stands today.
Madame de Pompadour’s Hermitage at Fontainebleau as it stands today.
The Château de Bellevue, in the time of Madame de Pompadour, from the courtyard to the west.
Charles-André van Loo, The Sultane, oil on canvas, 1747. Pictures Madame de Pompadour dressed in Turkish costume.
Jean Baptiste Pigalle, Madame de Pompadour as Friendship, marble, 1753.
Francois Boucher, La marquise de Pompadour, 1750, oil on paper.
Francois Boucher, Portrait of Alexandrine Le Normant d'Étiolles, oil on canvas, 1749. Madame de Pompadour’s own child.
Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, oil on canvas, 1756.
Francois Boucher, Jeanne Antoinette at a toilette table applying blush, oil on canvas, 1758.
Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, oil on canvas, 1759.
Francois-Hubert Drouais, Madame de Pompadour at her Tambour Frame, oil on canvas, 1763.
