Artwork
Portrait of Hortense de Beauharnais, Queen of Holland
Portrait of Hortense de Beauharnais, Queen of Holland is an oil painting by the Neoclassicist artist Anne-Louis Girodet. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting is a portrait whose main subject is Hortense de Beauharnais, who is identified by her title as Queen of Holland. As a work in the portrait genre, it represents the likeness and royal status of the sitter. The available details focus on the identity of the depicted figure rather than specific iconographic attributes or allegorical symbolism.
Technique & Style
The medium is oil paint, and the support is a canvas, as indicated by the work’s classification as a painting and its material description.
The Portrait of Hortense de Beauharnais is an oil painting on canvas created by Anne-Louis Girodet in 1805. The medium is oil paint, and the support is a canvas, as indicated by the work’s classification as a painting and its material description. As a portrait, it depicts Hortense de Beauharnais, reflecting the genre conventions of early nineteenth-century French portraiture. The sources do not specify details of the paint handling or the current condition of the work.
Overview
Anne-Louis Girodet’s 1805 oil portrait presents Hortense de Beauharnais, then Queen of Holland, in a composed, neoclassical manner. Executed in oil on canvas, the work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the clear, restrained aesthetic typical of early‑19th‑century French portraiture.
History & Provenance
Born in 1767, Girodet was a student of Jacques‑Louis David and became known for portraits of members of the Napoleonic family. This particular portrait was completed in 1805 and later entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings, where it remains on public display.
Context
The painting belongs to the broader neoclassical movement that dominated French art after the Revolution, favoring restraint, idealized forms, and moral seriousness. Girodet’s work aligns with these principles while also reflecting the political ties between France and the Dutch kingdom during the Napoleonic era.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson (French pronunciation:; or de Roucy), also known as Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson or simply Girodet (29 January 1767 – 9 December 1824), was a French painter and pupil of Jacques-Louis…
