Artwork
Madame Bergeret de Frouville as Diana
Madame Bergeret de Frouville as Diana is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jean-Marc Nattier. It dates from 1756 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The fusion of portrait and mythology allowed the subject to be commemorated both as an individual and as an embodiment of Diana's virtues of poise and elegance.
The painting portrays Claude Anne de La Roche, identified as Madame Bergeret de Frouville, in the guise of Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt. Nattier renders the sitter with attributes associated with the goddess, including a bow and arrow, transforming a contemporary portrait into a mythological allegory. This practice of depicting aristocratic women as classical deities was a hallmark of Nattier's mature work, lending the sitter an air of divine grace and idealized beauty.
The fusion of portrait and mythology allowed the subject to be commemorated both as an individual and as an embodiment of Diana's virtues of poise and elegance.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1756 by Jean-Marc Nattier, this work is an oil painting on canvas. The composition measures 136.5 cm in height and 105.1 cm in width. Stylistically, the piece functions as a mythological portrait, depicting the sitter, Claude Anne de La Roche (Madame Bergeret de Frouville), in the guise of the goddess Diana.
The iconography includes traditional attributes of the huntress, specifically a bow and arrow, which identify the subject's allegorical role. The handling of the medium aligns with Nattier's established approach to portraiture within the mythology genre, blending realistic facial features with classical costume and props to elevate the status of the sitter.
History & Provenance
Jean-Marc Nattier executed the oil painting Madame Bergeret de Frouville as Diana in 1756. The work depicts Claude Anne de La Roche, also known as Madame Bergeret de Frouville, portrayed in the mythological guise of the goddess Diana, complete with a bow and arrow. Created on canvas, the piece measures approximately 136.5 by 105.1 centimeters.
While the specific circumstances of the commission or the artist's direct interactions with the sitter are not detailed in the available records, the work's inception is firmly established within the mid-18th century. Following its creation, the painting eventually entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains housed today as a significant example of Nattier's mythological portraiture.
Madame Bergeret de Frouville as Diana has been held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains part of the museum's collection. The painting, executed in oil on canvas in 1756, depicts Claude Anne de La Roche in the guise of Diana. No specific accession number or inventory identifier is recorded in the available documentation.
Likewise, the sources consulted do not document any exhibition history, loans, or prior display venues for the work beyond its current institutional home.
Overview
Jean-Marc Nattier's 1756 oil painting, Madame Bergeret de Frouville as Diana, presents its subject in the guise of the Roman goddess of the hunt. This work, now part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, exemplifies Nattier's approach to portraiture. The sitter is depicted in a garden setting, holding a bow and arrow, embodying a mythological character while retaining her individual likeness.
Context
Jean-Marc Nattier, born in Paris in 1685 to artist parents, established a prominent career as a portraitist for the French aristocracy. He specialized in depicting women from Louis XV’s court, frequently presenting them in allegorical or mythological guises. This practice allowed patrons to be immortalized with both their personal features and the virtues or characteristics associated with classical figures, a popular trend in 18th-century French portraiture.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Marc Nattier (French pronunciation:; 17 March 1685 – 7 November 1766) was a French painter.
