Picturing Marie Leszczinska (1703-1768): Representing Queenship in Eighteenth-Century France (Revise

Portraits of Queen Marie Leszczinska (1703-1768) were highly visible in eighteenth-century France. This is the first study dedicated to analyzing the queen's portraits. It engages feminist theory while setting the queen's image in the context of portraiture in France, courtly factional conflict, and the history of the French monarchy. While historically specific, this investigation raises the larger problem of the power of women's images versus the empowerment of women, a challenge that continues to plague the representation of political women today.