In 1745, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson became the official mistress of Louis XV. Out of the many portraits commissioned, this one is the most unusual yet fascinating of them all. Though the painting was made in 1750, many changes were made to it over the following years, at least until the last decade of the 18th Century. At first glance, this appears to be a simple painting of a noblewoman tending to herself. But a closer look reveals that it is so much more. Madame de Pompadour looks young and radiant, but in real life was 37, sickly and mistress of the King only in name. And yet held political power in the court. This makes the painting not just a beauty to adore but a silent message of power she still held. The ordinary scene of the toilette is a direct symbol of elegance and regency she and the French noblewomen held. It’s aristocratic, idealising and shows elite-ness. Pompadour is also compared to Venus, using the pearls and flowers and femininity associated with the beauty standards then. It’s also interpreted that ‘makeup’ is a symbol for a world constructed on acts and facades rather than the actual self. This way, femininity was framed to be artificial and hence shallow and superficial. The Rococo style exemplifies that softness associated with feminine energy.

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