Bacchante
Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun
1785
Vigée Le Brun, the favorite portraitist of Marie Antoinette, caused quite the scandal with this playful portrait in 1785. The subject, modeled as a Bacchante (a follower of Bacchus, the god of wine), wears a crown of grapes and lets her white dress slip off her shoulder. Critics were shocked by her bare breast and her open-mouthed smile—showing teeth was considered highly improper at the time! Despite the outrage, the painting showcases the artist's incredible skill in capturing soft skin textures and lively expressions, blending mythological themes with a very real, human charm.
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