Portret van Madame Law - Claude Duflos

An eighteenth-century etching by Claude Duflos depicting Madame Law, wife of the financier John Law, complete with period-appropriate Dutch verse.

This etching and engraving by Claude Duflos depicts Madame Law, the wife of the Scottish economist and financier John Law. The work dates to approximately 1720, a period defined by the financial turbulence surrounding the Mississippi Company bubble. The portrait is presented within an oval frame, a common convention for eighteenth-century printmaking, which allows for the inclusion of descriptive text along the border.

Madame Law is shown in three-quarter view, wearing a hat and a fur-trimmed garment. Her expression is composed, yet the surrounding imagery suggests a narrative beyond simple portraiture. In the background, a scene unfolds featuring small figures, possibly referencing the social or political climate of the era. The architectural elements to the right provide a sense of place, while the distant horizon includes a column and maritime details, typical of the allegorical or topographical additions found in prints of this period. The lower section of the print contains a Dutch verse, which provides commentary on the subject and the financial context of her husband's activities.

Claude Duflos was a prolific French engraver, known for his technical precision and his ability to translate paintings and drawings into the medium of print. His work often captured the social elite of the French Regency. This particular print is a fine example of how portraiture was utilised to disseminate the likeness of public figures during times of economic change. The line work is characteristic of the period, employing cross-hatching to create volume in the drapery and depth in the background. The print offers a glimpse into the intersection of personal identity and public perception in the early eighteenth century, capturing the aesthetic sensibilities of the time through a formal, structured composition.