Marquise de Pompadour, Maurice-Quentin de La Tour
This portrait of Marquise de Pompadour, painted by French portraitist Maurice-Quentin de La Tour (1704-1788) is in museum the Louvre in Paris. In the eighteenth century, during the Rococo era, it was fashionable in higher circles to organize intimate gatherings. People called such meetings "salons. These salons were intended to discuss art, science, culture and politics with flair and preferably with humor. In addition to the aristocracy, intellectuals were invited with the aim of raising the level of conversation.
