In her portrait of Madame de Pompadour (1990), contemporary photographer Cindy Sherman attempts to reestablish artistic conventions through a feminine aesthetic. The artist dismantles historical French gender constructions by appropriating the materials and designs of eighteenth- century dinner wear, and placing herself costumed as Madame de Pompadour on its face. As I plan to demonstrate, she subverts its primary use as decorative dinner ware, deflects the male gaze, and elevates women from the status of object of desire to subject of intellect
