Julie Le Brun Looking in a Mirror

Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun

1787

Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, the favorite portraitist of Marie Antoinette, painted her own daughter Julie in this playful 1787 masterpiece. The young girl, dressed in a lush green gown and white headscarf, holds a wooden mirror and looks down at it. Yet, her reflection stares directly out at the viewer, creating a charming optical illusion that defies the laws of physics. It's a brilliant trick of perspective that shows off the artist's incredible skill and a mother's loving gaze, making it one of the most beloved portraits of the French Rococo period.

Location: Louvre Museum, Paris