Madame la Marquise de Pompadour

Madame la Marquise de Pompadour was an active printmaker and engraver documented between 1735 and 1752. Her oeuvre, represented by seven prints held in museum collections, demonstrates technical proficiency in reproductive engraving, primarily focused on translating designs from other contemporary masters into print media. Her work is preserved in major institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Her practice is notably defined by the production of a suite of etchings based on the work of the era’s foremost artists. This suite includes compositions derived from the engraved stones of Jacques Guay, graveur du Roi (King’s engraver), such as Les Petits Buveurs de lait (The Little Milk Drinkers) and the historical piece Naissance de Monsieur le Duc de Bourgogne (The Birth of Monsieur le Duc de Bourgogne). Other works, such as Un enfant assis sur une motte de terre, were executed after renowned paintings by François Boucher.

Further examples of her artistic output include allegorical subjects like Genie de la Musique and Genie de la Poësie. As her activity pre-dates the mid-eighteenth century, her surviving prints are considered valuable historical records. Today, these museum-quality reproductions often enter the public domain, making downloadable artwork widely accessible for study and appreciation.