Portrait of Madame Récamier

"Portrait of Madame Récamier" is a renowned painting from 1800 by Jacques-Louis David, featuring the Parisian socialite Juliette Récamier. In the artwork, Récamier is gracefully reclined on a Directoire-style sofa, attired in a simple Empire line gown. Her bare arms and short hair, styled in the "à la Titus" fashion, epitomize the Neoclassical style of the era.

David began working on the portrait in May 1800. However, he likely left it unfinished upon discovering that another artist, François Gérard, had also been commissioned to paint Récamier. The pose—Récamier reclining and glancing back over her shoulder—became iconic and was later emulated by Ingres in his 1814 work "Grande Odalisque." Today, David's portrait is housed in the Louvre Museum.

In Djuna Barnes' "Creatures in an Alphabet" the subject of David's painting is compared to "The Seal" lounging like a bride, emphasizing Madame Récamier's serene and elegant presence. René Magritte also engaged with this iconic image, creating a parody titled "Perspective: Madame Récamier by David." In Magritte's version, a coffin replaces the reclining figure. This provocative parody is part of the National Gallery of Canada's collection in Ottawa.