A 300-year-old fashion story from France | National Gallery

What can a dress tell us about politics 300 years ago?

Art historian Amber Butchart introduces us to one of the most famous women of the 18th century, Madame de Pompadour.

In François-Hubert Drouais’ painting, ‘Madame de Pompadour at her Tambour Frame’, we see her as a refined, cultured woman dressed in beautiful fabrics. But if we take a closer look at what she is wearing, there is more to the story than meets the eye.