Portrait of a Woman, Said to Be Anne Catherine (Aimée) Augier Vestris, Élisabeth Vigée-Le Brun
Rendered with the luminous skin and large dark eyes often seen in Vigée-LeBrun portraits, the woman gazes into the distance. Variously described as wistful, melancholy, or thoughtful, her expression remains ambiguous. Behind her, through the trees, the sky is tinged with the glow of the setting sun, which casts a flattering light on the sitter.
The identity of this woman is far from certain although some scholars believe that she might be Anne Catherine Augier Vestris (1777–1809), a French dancer who went by the stage name Aimée. Anne Catherine was the wife of dancer Auguste Vestris, who came from a famous family of performers.
