Princess Charlotte was the daughter of King Francis I of France, whose court was an international center for the arts. Her rich clothing and jeweled cap denote her high status, and the rosary she holds indicates a gentle and pious nature. About seven years old at the time of this portrait, she died at the age of eight.
Portraits of European royal children were comissioned to record stages of their development and were often exchanged with other royal houses as a diplomatic gesture. Jean Clouet, the court painter under Francis I, based his formal panel portraits on detailed drawings made from life. His style incorporates traits of northern European painting such as silhouetting of shapes, incisive draftsmanship, and an enamellike finish. Portraits of modest size, like this one, were the fashion in early 16th-century France.
Acquired in 1935 35.7.98
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<P>Princess Charlotte was the daughter of King Francis I of France, whose court was an international center for the arts. Her rich clothing and jeweled cap denote her high status, and the rosary she holds indicates a gentle and pious nature. About seven years old at the time of this portrait, she died at the age of eight.</P><P>Portraits of European royal children were comissioned to record stages of their development and were often exchanged with other royal houses as a diplomatic gesture. Jean Clouet, the court painter under Francis I, based his formal panel portraits on detailed drawings made from life. His style incorporates traits of northern European painting such as silhouetting of shapes, incisive draftsmanship, and an enamellike finish. Portraits of modest size, like this one, were the fashion in early 16th-century France.</P><P>Acquired in 1935 35.7.98</P>
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