Marie-Denise Villers - Marie Joséphine Charlotte du Val d'Ognes

Title: Marie Joséphine Charlotte du Val d'Ognes
Artist: Marie-Denise Villers (1774-1821)
Date: 1801
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 161 × 129 cm

The painting “Marie Joséphine Charlotte du Val d’Ognes” shows a woman sketching. This painting seems to actually be the portrait of a woman by another woman as they are perfecting their art of painting in a gallery of the Louvre known for having been a learning studio. The woman depicted may be beautiful but she is not sexualized, what matters in the picture is her work, her focus on her subject. The background with the broken glass adds a demonstration of great skills. The couple may be a foil to show how other people waste their time with affairs while Marie-Denise, who was supported in her choice of being an artist by her husband, is faithful to her husband and working hard to perfect her skills and succeed in the path she has chosen.