The Women of Louis XV

When Louis turned 15, he married Maria Karolina Leszczyńska ...

2. The Women of Louis XV

4. Shy and secretive. Louis XV King of France

5. When Louis turned 15, he married Maria Karolina Leszczyńska.
The King loves women, and yet there is absolutely no gallantry in his spirit. Louis XV took lovers as “substitutes” in his bed
during Marie’s many pregnancies.
The couple’s polite arrangement changed in 1738 when the Queen dangerously miscarried and her doctors forbade her to have
relations with the King for a time. Insulted, Louis moved out of the marital chambers, into separate quarters.
The young king was 25 years and ... suddenly, he discovered the court was a buffet of beautiful women.

6. HyacintheRigaud
Louis XV at theAge ofFive in theCostumeoftheSacre
Portraitde Louis XV, âgéde cinqans, assissur son
trôneen grandcostumeroyal
1715
Châteaude Versailles, Versailles

9. Jean-Baptiste van Loo
Louis XV, roi de France
Louis XV, King of France and Navarre
1726-1727
Château de Versailles, Versailles

12. Anonyme France XVIIIe siècle
Louis XV
Louis en cuirasse vers 1740
1735-1740
Château de Versailles, Versailles

15. François-Hubert Drouais
Louis XV of France
Louis XV, roi de France
1773
Château de Versailles, Versailles

18. In 1719, France declared war on Spain.
Spain was defeated and quickly sought peace.
The two governments proposed to unite their
royal families by marrying Louis to Mariana
Victoria of Spain, the seven-year-old daughter
of Philip V of Spain.
The future bride came to France and took
up residence in the Louvre.
However, the Regent decided she was too
young to have children soon enough, and she
was sent back to Spain.
Alexis SimonBelle, attribuéà
Louis XV et l'infanteMarie-Anne-Victoire
PortraitofLouis XV as a childpointingtoa portrait
ofhisfiancéetheInfanta Mariana Victoria ofSpain
1724
Châteaude Versailles, Versailles

21. The 15-year-old Louis married the 22-year-old Princess Marie
in a lavish ceremony in 1725.
They quickly got about doing their royal duty, and they had
their first child in 1727. Queen Marie would spend the next
decade in a state of perpetual pregnancy.
Anonymefrançais, frenchAnonymous
Le mariagede Louis XV à Fontainebleau, le 5 septembre1725
MarriageofLouis XV and Marie Lecszinkaat chapellede Fontainebleau
on5th ofSeptember, 1725
1725
Muséenationaldu Châteaude Fontainebleau, Fontainebleau

23. The resigned wife. Queen Marie Leszczyńska

24. One of the first priorities was to find a bride for the King ...
list of 99 princesses was prepared.
In the end, only one of them could get the rose, and her name was Marie Leszczyńska, a Polish princess …
The poor girl had no idea what she was in for.
Queen Marie would spend the next decade in a state of perpetual pregnancy.
The relationship would turn painfully cold and distant … and Louis’ eyes would start to wander

25. François Albert Stiémart
Portrait of Marie Leszczyńska
Marie Leszczynska, reine de France
1726
Château de Versailles, Versailles

28. Charles-André van Loo
Marie Leszczinska, reine de France
Marie Leszczinska, Queen of France
1747
Château de Versailles, Versailles

32. Louis, Dauphin of France the elder and only surviving son
of King Louis XV of France
Louis died of tuberculosis at Fontainebleau in 1765 at the age of 36,
before ascending the throne.
Three of his sons became kings of France: Louis XVI, Louis XVIII
and Charles X,
a feat only shared -in French royalty -by kings Henry II
and Philippe IV.
Alexis SimonBelle
Marie Leszczynska, reine de France, et le Dauphin
Marie Leszczynska, Queen ofFrance, and theDauphin
1730
Châteaude Versailles, Versailles

35. Jean-Marc Nattier
Marie Leszczyńska, Queen of France
Marie Leszczyńska, reine de France
1748
Château de Versailles, Versailles

38. An infanta, six singles and a nun. Mesdames de France

39. Daughters of Louis XV, Les Fillesde France, eight in total, with which the monarchy does not know what to do.
One got married and moved away, one became a nun, three died of smallpox
and
three remained at the Royal Court of Versailles because, quite simply, they didn’t want to get married.
The royal daughters formed a tight-knit group along with the Dauphin, and were not afraid to stand up to their father's
mistresses, the Madame de Pompadour they rewarded her with a string of unflattering nicknames.

40. Jean-Marc Nattier
Sophie-Philippine-Élisabeth-Justine
ofFrance, knownas Madame
Sophie, in a courtdressand
holding herveil
Sophie-Philippine-Élisabeth-Justine
de France, dite Madame Sophie, en
robe de courtenantson voile
1747
Châteaude Versailles, Versailles

41. Jean-Marc Nattier
Marie-Louise-Thérèse-Victoire de France,
dite Madame Victoire
1748
Château de Versailles, Versailles

42. Jean-Marc Nattier atelier de
Anne-Henriette de France,
dite Madame Henriette
-
Château de Versailles, Versailles

43. Jean-Marc Nattier
Anne-Henriette de France,
dite Madame Henriette
1745
Château de Versailles,
Versailles

44. Jean-Marc Nattier
Louise-Marie de France,
dite Madame Louise
1748
Château de Versailles, Versailles

45. Jean-Marc Nattier
Marie-Adélaïde de France,
dite Madame Adélaïde, faisant
des nœuds
1756
Château de Versailles, Versailles

46. Five sisters, one king. The de Mailly-NesleSisters

47. After ten good years, it all fell apart ...
The queen miscarried her eleventh pregnancy and the royal doctor told her she was not permitted to have marital relations.
Louis moved out of the marital chambers, into separate quarters.
Whether fate or bad timing ... Louis met Louise de Mailly-Nesle.
Soon, she was sneaking into his chambers at night.
Lady Louise, it turned out, had lovely sisters ...

48. The first of the de Maillysisters to catch the eye
of Louis XV ...
In 1738 when finally enjoyed the title of official
maîtresse-en-titre, her younger sister Pauline-Félicité
sent a letter requesting to be invited to court.
Louise Julie granted her sister's wish.
But that turned out to be a bad decision ...
Alexis Grimou
Portraitofa Lady, saidtobe Louise Julie de Nesle, Comtesse
de Mailly
Portraitsupposéde Louise Julie de Mailly-Nesle, comtesse
de Mailly
18th century
Privatecollection

50. louder than Louise Julie and far more ambitious ...
arrogant, she had a fondness of money and political power
died while giving birth to the King's son ...
his younger sister Marie-Anne took over the Louis XV
Jean-Marc Nattier
Pauline Félicité de Mailly-Nesle, Comtesse de Vintimille
v.1740
Collection particulière

52. lacked intelligence,
once saying that "my husband cheated on me,
so I'm not even sure to be the mother of my children",
therefore she was not seen as much of a rival by her sister Marie
who kept her as a companion at court.
Jean-Marc Nattier
Diane Adélaïde de Mailly-Nesle, duchesse de Lauraguais
v.1740
Collection particulière

54. the only one of the sisters to not become a mistress
of the king ...
It was proposed that Hortense become the king's mistress,
however her husband was possessive and jealous and would not
allow it;
he threatened to kill his wife if she became 'a whore like her sisters’.
Anonymous, copie d’après Jean-Marc Nattier
Portrait de la marquise de Flavacourt, en Silence
Portrait of the Marquise de Flavacourt, as Silence
-
Musée Cognacq-Jay, Paris

56. Louis XV fell passionately in love with her ...
in return for becoming his mistress demanded of the king
the title of duchess
and
remove her elder sister, his official mistress, from court ...
Louise Julie left in tears to a convent
Her triumph after the passing disgrace provoked by the
king's illness at Metz did not last long, she died on
the 8th of December 1744.
But Madame de Lauraguaisis already in charge
of comforting the king …
Jean-Marc Nattier
Marie-Anne de Nesle, marquise de La Tournelle, duchesse de
Châteauroux
Marie-Anne de Nesle, Marchionessof La Tournelle, Duchessof
Châteauroux
1740
Château de Versailles, Versailles

60. The Ambitious Woman. Madame de Pompadour

61. February 25 at the Palace of Versailles the masked ball ... Jeanne Poisson the headstrong, ambitious, witty and erudite catches
the eye of French King Louis XV
she masters the art of seduction well enough to become ... the king’s official mistress.
Her apartment was right above the king’s own chambers, and connected by a secret winding staircase. However, the “secret”
staircase didn’t stay secret for long.
From 1750 onwards, Pompadour ceased being a sexual partner.
In public, the reason for Pompadour’s shifting role was chalked up to her poor health. But behind closed doors, there was
another reason: Pompadour just wasn’t that interested in bedroom-based activities.

62. Louis XV remained devoted to Pompadour until her death from tuberculosis in 1764 at the age of forty-two.
Looking at the rain during the departure of his mistress's coffin from Versailles, the devastated king reportedly said:
"La marquise n'aurapas de beau temps pour son voyage." ("The marquise will not have good weather for her journey".)

63. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Madame_de_Pompa
dour.jpg
Portraits of Madame de Pompadour were a genre in itself.
She used portraits to communicate with the king and
the French, announcing her loyalty, love, intellect…
She was hailed as a major innovator and “the sponsor
and queen of the Rococo”.
François Boucher found in Mmede Pompadour
his most enthusiastic admirer.
François Boucher
PortraitMadame de Pompadour
Portraitde Madame de Pompadour
1756
Alte Pinakothek, Munich

68. Jean-Marc Nattier
Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, marquisede
Pompadour en Diane chasseresse
Madame de Pompadour as Diana theHuntress
1746
Châteaude Versailles, Versailles

71. the grandest of the many portraits
of Madame de Pompadour …
She was an important patron of the fine,
applied and performing arts and a leader
of taste in matters of fashion and style,
particularly the Rococo style.
François-Hubert Drouais
Madame de Pompadour at herTambourFrame
Madame de Pompadour à son métierà broder
1763-1764
NationalGallery, London

74. The elegant Marquise is shown with a musical
score in her hands, surrounded by prints,
a globe and volumes of Diderot and d’Alembert’s
Encyclopedia, whose publication she had
supported.
Maurice Quentin de La Tour
Full-lengthportrait of the Marquise de Pompadour
Portrait en pied de la marquise de Pompadour
1755
Musée du Louvre, Paris

76. Petite maîtresse of Louis XV. Marie-Louise O'Murphy

77. Marie-Louise was installed in Versailles as the petite maîtresseknown as “Morphy.”
The palace gossip Marquis D’Argensonwrote in his diary at the time:
“The King has a new mistress … she belonged to a family of prostitutes and thieves.”
While that was certainly the truth, it didn’t matter because Morphycharmed everyone, she was unsophisticated, unspoiled, and
good-humored.

78. the portrait of Louise O'Murphy, a young
Irish woman who worked as Boucher's
model …
The artist does not present her as a Venus
of classical beauty but portrays her
instead in a provocative pose of
unambiguously erotic persuasion
as a sweet child-woman.
François Boucher
BlondOdalisque(Marie-Louise O'Murphy)
L'OdalisqueBlonde, probablement
Marie-Louise O'Murphy
1752
Alte Pinakothek, Munich

81. Louis XV'slast favorite. Madame du Barry

82. Jeanne Bécu, Comtesse du Barry was the last maîtresse-en-titre...
Her good looks, bawdy charms, and sheet smarts rocketed her through into the arms of King Louis XV of France.
According to one story, the king once confided to his friend the Duc de Noailles that du Barry had shown him astonishing
pleasures. “Sire,” the duke responded, “That’s because your Majesty has never been in a brothel.”
In 1774, the elderly King Louis XV succumbed to smallpox, throwing his official mistress into the political deep end. The newly-
minted Queen Marie Antoinette wasted no time in turning du Barry out of doors. She immediately banished the king’s mistress to
a convent.
Though the charming du Barry eventually negotiated her way out of her holy prison at the convent, she was never again allowed
to set foot within a ten-mile radius of her beloved Versailles.

83. By the time the Comtesse du Barry had arrived at Versailles,
Drouaishad completed posthumously the last portrait
of Madame de Pompadour, a sumptuous affair that surely
qualifies as his masterpiece.
It was fitting that the new royal paramour would choose
as her official portraitist an artist who could immortalize
her predecessor with such refinement and elegance.
During the Comtesse du Barry's years at court, Drouais
created five distinct portraits of her.
François-Hubert Drouais,
Jeanne Bécu, comtesse Du Barry, en Flore
Portrait of Madame du Barry as Flora
1769
Château de Versailles, Versailles

86. The countess, the deposed mistress of Louis XV,
emerged from the lowest ranks of society to pass
through Versailles on her way to the guillotine.
Vigée Le Brun pays homage to her grace and charm.
The artist recalled that “she had the gaze of a coquette,
her elongated eyes never opening completely.”
Her hat and muslin dress would soon become the height
of fashion.
ÉlisabethLouise Vigée Le Brun
Portrait of Madame Du Barry
Portrait de Madame Du Barry
1781
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia

89. One of du Barry’s many “indulgences” was a young
Bantu slave named Zamor. She loved nothing more
than to dress him up and show him off like a doll.
Zamortolerated du Barry’s condescension-but in time,
he would have his revenge.
Denounced her to the powerful, revolutionary
Committee of Public Safety. Zamor’stestimony
to the Council put Madame du Barry to her death.
Jean-Baptiste-André Gautier-Dagoty
Jeanne Bécu, comtesseDu Barry et Zamorqui lui apporte
une tassede café
Jeanne Bécu, countesDu Barry and Zamorwhobrings
hera cup ofcoffee
1771-1800
Châteaude Versailles, Versailles

92. Dauphine ofFrance. Marie-Antoniette

93. She arrived at the French Court aged only fifteen. From the time of her marriage to the Dauphin Louis, heir to the throne, she
found it difficult to adapt to French customs.
Madame du Barry proved a troublesome foe to the new dauphine. Louis XV's mistress had considerable influence over him.
Marie Antoinette was persuaded by her husband's aunts to refuse to acknowledge du Barry, which some saw as a political
blunder that jeopardized Austria's interests at the French court.
Marie Antoinette's mother and the Austrian ambassador to France, comtede Mercy-Argenteau, who sent the Empress secret
reports on Marie Antoinette's behavior, pressured Marie Antoinette to speak to Madame du Barry, which she grudgingly agreed to
do on New Year's Day 1772.
She merely commented to her, "There are a lot of people at Versailles today", but it was enough for Madame du Barry, who was
satisfied with this recognition, and the crisis passed.

94. Marie Antoinette, in 1769; this portrait was sent
to the Dauphin of France, Louis-Auguste,
so he could see his bride before he met her.
Joseph Ducreux
ArchduchessMariaAntonia ofAustria, thelaterQueen
Marie Antoinette ofFrance
Marie-Antoinette, archiduchessed'Autriche
1769
Châteaude Versailles, Versailles

97. Marie Antoinette, portrayed as Hebe,
Goddess of eternal youth, daughter
of Zeus and Hera, who served nectar
to the gods.
François-Hubert Drouais
Madame la Dauphine Marie-Antoinette, en Hébé
Madame la Dauphine Marie-Antoinette, as Hebe
1773
MuséeCondé, Chantilly

100. …Louis Le Bien-aimé isdead

101. Armand-Vincent de Montpetit
Louis XV, roi de France
1774
Château de Versailles, Versailles

103. … by 10 April, by around 11 o'clock, it was clear that the king's end was near.
Due to the risk of contagion, a signal had been agreed upon, to announce the king's death.
A candle was placed in the window which was to be blown out at the moment of death.
At a quarter past three in the afternoon, the candle was finally extinguished.
While the courtiers rushed to congratulate the new king and queen,
the corpse of the newly deceased king had already begun to rot …

104. olga_oes
The Women of Louis XV
Les Femmes de Louis XV
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Music .The Piano Guys Lauren Daigle You Say Sonata Pathétique
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