In an attempt to clear her name, French Queen Marie-Antoinette (1755-1793) created her own royal feminine identity through the use of propagandist portraiture. She enlisted the help of portraitist Elisabeth-Louise Vigee-Le Brun (1755-1842) to create images that represented her as an intellectual, a revolutionary and a caring mother. The relationship between Vigee-Le Brun and Marie-Antoinette is significant because patrons and portraitists are often male, whereas these portraits are the result of the collaboration of two women. By the use of symbolic objects, settings, and costumes, both women constructed a unique royal feminine identity that continually changed in accordance with historical events. Each image is tailored to promote Marie Antoinette\u27s popularity through eighteenth century notions of public advertising. The commissions were meant to counter Marie-Antoinette\u27s negative reputation and highlight both the private and public roles that she was expected to fulfill. For Marie-Antoinette, creating propaganda paintings that adapted to the changing attitudes of the French people was an important political strategy
