Artwork
Marie Joséphine of Savoy as Diana
Marie Joséphine of Savoy as Diana is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist François-Hubert Drouais. It dates from 1773 and is held in the collection of the Palace of Versailles.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The crescent moon emblem on her fur-trimmed garment evokes Diana’s lunar aspect, reinforcing the identification with the goddess of the hunt and moonlight.
The portrait depicts Marie Joséphine of Savoy, Countess of Provence, recast as the Roman goddess Diana, underscoring ideals of chastity and the hunt associated with the deity. She is shown holding a bow and quiver, attributes of Diana, while a small dog at her feet signals fidelity and companionship. The crescent moon emblem on her fur-trimmed garment evokes Diana’s lunar aspect, reinforcing the identification with the goddess of the hunt and moonlight.
By aligning the sitter with this classical figure, the work projects virtues of nobility and virtue expected of aristocratic women in late eighteenth-century France.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil paint on canvas, this work presents a full-length depiction of its subject in the guise of the goddess Diana. The composition incorporates specific mythological attributes, including a bow, a quiver, and a dog, alongside luxurious textural details such as fur. The painting measures 101 cm in height and 83 cm in width.
Stylistically, the piece functions as both a formal portrait and a mythological scene, characteristic of the French school of the late eighteenth century.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Marie Joséphine of Savoy as Diana was painted by François-Hubert Drouais in 1773, executed in oil on canvas. It entered the French royal collections and is now housed in the Palace of Versailles, where it bears the inventory numbers MV 3971, INV 9860 and B 2146. The work’s provenance traces from its creation for the Countess of Provence to its present location in the Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, with no further transfers recorded in the provided sources.
The painting is held in the collection of the Palace of Versailles, specifically within the Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon in France. It is registered under the inventory numbers MV 3971, INV 9860, and B 2146 in the Joconde database of French museum collections.
While the work depicts Marie Joséphine of Savoy as the goddess Diana, available records confirm its location at Versailles but do not list specific past exhibitions or loan history.
Overview
Marie Joséphine of Savoy as Diana is a 1773 oil painting by François-Hubert Drouais, a French portrait painter favored by the royal family and nobility.
Artist & collection
Artist
François-Hubert Drouais (French pronunciation:; Paris, 14 December 1727 – Paris, 21 October 1775) was a leading French portrait painter during the latter years of Louis XV's reign.
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