Madame de Pompadour at Her Toilette

A powdered Rococo noblewoman in a lace cape and pink bows holds a rouge brush at her dressing table. The figure holds the centre of the canvas, and everything around it, from the fall of the light to the setting, is there to bring it forward. Look closely and the details carry as much of its character as the face itself.

Its palette, measured from the canvas, is led by stone, with greige and umber in support: a mid-toned, warm picture. Those warm tones give it a glow that comes alive in lamplight and deepens as the evening draws in. The tall format leads the eye from top to bottom, so the details reward a second and a third look.

A tall canvas like this one suits a narrow wall: a hallway, the space beside a bookcase or a doorway, or the wall between two windows. It brings a quiet presence to a study, a library wall or a landing. Stone and greige are easy to echo in cushions, a throw or a painted wall nearby, and it holds its own in a mixed gallery wall.

François Boucher made the original in 1750; in the collection it is listed under Rococo. It has the lightness of the Rococo: soft colour, graceful figures and a delight in silk, flowers and leisure. This painting is printed to order on gallery-wrapped canvas in 30 × 40 cm or 40 × 60 cm, from the image you see here. The canvas wraps around its frame, so it arrives ready to hang, with no framing needed. Want yourself in it instead? Add a photo and see your portrait free before you order.