Jeanne Bécu, Comtesse Du Barry, and her servant Zamor
Jean Baptiste André Gautier d'Agoty
1766–1776
- Medium
- Mezzotint in black on cream laid paper
- Dimensions
- Image/plate: 40.2 × 31.4 cm (15 7/8 × 12 3/8 in.); Sheet: 44.5 × 35.2 cm (17 9/16 × 13 7/8 in.)
- Genre
- mezzotint
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Tags
mezzotintprintprints and drawingpaper (fiber product)
About
In this monochrome rendition of Gautier D’Agoty’s color portrait, Madame du Berry’s clothing and interior decorating details enjoy more contrast and legibility. Her reflection in the angled mirror suggests her role as an earthly, courtly Venus. The small cup offered by an African servant likely contains a popular delicacy, drinking chocolate. The last of Louis XV’s official mistresses, Madame du Barry would be executed during the Reign of Terror due to her royal associations.
