Chest Detail of Madame de Canaples

Madame de Canaples (Marie d'Assigny, 1502 - 58), by Jean Clouet, about 1525. Accession no. NG 1930, Medium Oil on panel, Size 36.00 x 28.50 cm.

"This aristocratic lady, shown in three-quarter view, rests her hands on a ledge, enhancing the illusion that she appears to exist in believable space. It also draws attention to her many rings. The portrait was probably painted in 1525, the year that Marie d’Assigny married Jean de Crequi, sire de Canaples. The painting is close in character to a drawing by Clouet (now in Chantilly) which bears an inscription identifying the sitter as Madame de Canaples, a lady at the court of François I."

Take a good look at the neckline of the gown. This clearly shows a black kirtle under the red gown that has gold jewels as trimming. It also shows the kirtle edge dipping down under the side front of the gown, not even covering the breasts. There could be a front edge band in white, or possibly the smock front itself, with blackwork band along the smock edge.

Image with great thanks to Lady Jerusha Kilgore (mka Susan Farmer), Clouet_Red, aka Madame de Canaples (Marie d'Assigny, 1502 - 58) [Art] Retrieved November 30, 2006 from the World Wide Web: http://epee.goldsword.com/sfarmer/SCA/Paintings/clouet_Red.jpg. This is the same image, but from a different source, than the image shown here.