The Artist’s Niece, Marianne Lavergne, Known as ‘La Liseuse’

1746

This is the original of one of Liotard’s most famous compositions, of which he made several versions. He entitled it La Liseuse (the reader), and evidently intended it as a genre piece, although he also identified the figure as his niece wearing Lyonnaise costume. Liotard took it to Versailles in 1748 to advertise his skills as a pastellist to the French court.