Self-Portrait with Her Daughter, Julie - Louise Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun

A tender 1786 portrait by Louise Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, capturing the artist in an intimate embrace with her daughter, Julie.

Louise Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun painted this work in 1786, during the height of her career as a court painter to Marie Antoinette. The composition depicts the artist in a close, affectionate embrace with her daughter, Julie. Vigée Le Brun was known for her ability to capture naturalistic expressions and soft textures, qualities clearly visible in the rendering of their skin and the folds of their garments. The artist wears a simple white dress and a turban-style headpiece, reflecting the fashion trends of the late eighteenth century that favoured a more relaxed, classical aesthetic over the rigid formality of the earlier Rococo period.

The painting is notable for its focus on maternal affection, a theme that gained popularity in French art during the late Enlightenment. Vigée Le Brun uses a warm, controlled palette to draw the viewer into the intimacy of the scene. The dark, neutral background ensures that the figures remain the primary focus, while the soft light models their features with precision. The artist's gaze is directed towards the viewer, creating a sense of engagement, while her daughter looks slightly away, adding a layer of candid realism to the portrait.

This work is one of several versions the artist produced, demonstrating her interest in exploring the mother-child dynamic. It remains a representative example of her technical skill in oil painting and her contribution to the portraiture of the period. The balance between the structured composition and the emotional warmth of the subjects provides a clear view into the artist's personal life and her professional approach to portraiture. The work is currently held in the collection of the Musée du Louvre in Paris, where it is recognised for its technical execution and its place within the artist's broader body of work.