Self-Portrait with Julie (Maternal Tenderness)

Self-Portrait with Julie (Maternal Tenderness) is a 1787 painting by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun depicting the artist tenderly embracing her daughter. It is now in the collection of the Louvre. Created just before the French Revolution, it embodies Enlightenment ideals of maternal affection and departs from conventional aristocratic portraiture through its natural warmth, minimal background, and intimate pose. It is widely praised for its emotional sincerity and has since been recognized for influencing Romantic-era portraiture. The painting underscores Vigée Le Brun’s prominence as a leading female artist, blending neoclassical technique with heartfelt sentiment in a way that broke new ground for her time.