Bust of Madame du Barry

This elegant portrait bust depicts Marie-Jeanne Bécu, who was the Comtesse du Barry from 1743 to 1793. Famous for being the favorite mistress of France's King Louis XV, she was also a major patron of the arts. During her reign as official royal mistress, many portraits of Madame du Barry were undertaken by leading artists. Celebrated French sculptor Augustin Pajou, for example, rendered du Barry´s portrait in terra cotta.

Sèvres, the royal porcelain factory, re-created Pajou's design in porcelain. Rienzi´s version of the bust, made in the early 1770s, was most likely intended as a gift to an admirer or a deserving member of du Barry´s entourage. Her great beauty is accentuated by the delicate rendering of her features and hair. She is clothed in Neoclassical drapery, and her countenance is elegant, regal, and restrained. Sèvres portrait busts are exceedingly rare, especially those of royal subjects. Only two other examples of this particular model, currently in French museums, are known.