Why it matters
Madame Pastoret sits beside her baby's cot without any finery, as a devoted mother, at a time when displays of wealth were viewed with suspicion. The portrait was left unfinished when David broke with the family over politics.
Did you know?
- It was painted in 1791.
- The sewing needle in her hand was never painted in.
- The baby later became a conseiller d'État, painted by Ingres in 1826.
Based on the Wikipedia article Portrait of Madame Pastoret (CC BY-SA 4.0).
