Portrait of a Young Woman as a Vestal Virgin

Executed in oil paint on canvas, the portrait measures 80 by 63.2 centimeters in a vertical orientation, an intimate scale suited to its sitter. The work is classified as a painting within the portrait genre, consistent with Drouais's practice of refined mid-eighteenth-century French portraiture. The composition centers on a young woman rendered with the smooth, polished handling characteristic of the artist's manner, with attention directed to the textures of her veil, fringe-trimmed garments, and the floral bouquet and striped accessories she carries.

Source records enumerate the depicted elements as including a flower, bouquet, veil, belt, fringe, and stripe, indicating a careful rendering of varied fabric surfaces and decorative details. The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

François-Hubert Drouais executed the oil painting Portrait of a Young Woman as a Vestal Virgin in 1767. The work, measuring 80 by 63.2 centimeters on canvas, depicts a female figure adorned with a veil, belt, and floral elements. While the specific circumstances of its commission and the identity of the original sitter remain unrecorded in the available data, the painting's inception is firmly established as January 1, 1767.

The artwork eventually entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently housed. No further details regarding intermediate ownership chains, auction history, or provenance prior to its museum acquisition are provided in the current records.

This oil painting portrays a young woman presented in the guise of a Vestal Virgin. She is depicted in a white gown adorned with gold trim, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand while subtly adjusting a sheer veil with the other. The figure stands out prominently against a dark background, with a small table featuring additional flowers and books positioned behind her.