Portrait of The Comtesse de La Fayette (Marie-Madeleine Pioche De la Vergne), Nicolas Mignard
This portrait of The Comtesse de La Fayette was likely created shortly after the artist moved to Paris. Born Marie-Madeleine Pioche de la Vergne, the sitter was married in 1655 to François Motier, Comte de La Fayette, with whom she lived at his country estate until they separated amiably, and she returned to Paris. Prior to and after her marriage, Madame de La Fayette enjoyed strong and favorable court connections and a well-established place in distinguished literary circles. Throughout the 1660s Madame de La Fayette published several conventional romances, often anonymously.
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