Born Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson on December 29, 1721, the woman who history knows as Madame de Pompadour gained fame not only as the mistress of King Louis XV of France, but also as one of the great patrons of the art and literature of her era (Wikipedia, 1). Pompadour died on April 15, 1764 at the age of 48, having spent only a few years as the mistress of the king but having nevertheless remained his c lose companion and the arbiter of fashion at the Royal Court of Versailles. Described as attractive, educated and highly intelligent, Madame de Pompadour "redefined the status and the power of the royal mistress to include lover, friend, confidant, and ministerial adviser (The National Gallery, 1)."
Though Madame de Pompadour's relationship as lover, confident, and adviser to King Louis XV is a fascinating subject, the purpose of this essay is to examine how this remarkable eighteenth century woman influenced the art of her era. It will be demonstrated in this report that Pompadour used her position and influence to promote the careers of several well known Enlightenment figures. Among these figures were Voltaire, Francois Boucher, and the court artist Jean-Marc Nattier.
Part of Madame de Pompadour's success in establishing royal patronage of the arts was facilitated by the fact that she lived in an era "when France dominated the European artistic scene" and consequently, "had at her disposal the best of the country's painters and sculptors to portray her and embellish her various residences (The National Gallery, 1). Indeed, the report will demonstrate that one of this woman's favorite artistic subjects was herself.
Discussion
Married at the age of 19 in 1741 to Charles-Guilaume Le Normant d'Etiolles, Madame de Pompadour reigned in the fashionable world of Paris and caught the eye of King Louis XV in 1745. She was soon installed at Versailles and in July of 1745, the king made he...