France / 1752
Portrait of a Woman as Diana
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Portrait of a Woman as Diana as painting (France · 1752).
The sitter was once thought to be King Louis XV’s daughter Henriette or his mistress Madame de Pompadour. Today, her identity is unknown.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on canvas and credits Jean-Marc Nattier (French, 1685–1766).
The museum's collection notes: For many years, this sitter was identified as Madame de Pompadour, but she bears little resemblance to this pivotal figure in French art and politics of the mid 1700s. Nattier specialized in portraits of women in mythological guises—in this case, the bow, quiver, and leopard skin, all attributes of Diana, goddess of the hunt.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtPortrait of a Woman as DianaOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.