2008: Jean-François de Troy, The Reading Woman (c. 1723)

A Late Reunion
by Eva Keller
In the lives of pictures, stories often unfold beyond the canvas, with intricate narratives involving historical events, personal motifs and artistic developments – with many questions left unanswered. One such mystery revolves around The Reading Woman, an important work by Jean-François de Troy, which found its way back into a public collection in 2008, when the Kaiser Friedrich Museumsverein acquired it for the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. The Reading Woman shares a part of its history with The Breakfast, another de Troy painting from 1723. After many years of separation, the two now hang side by side in the Gemäldegalerie.
WORK RECORD
The Reading Woman (Die Lesende), by Jean-François de Troy, around 1723, Canvas, 36 x 27,5 cm, unsigned, cat. no. KFMV.297
Purchased from the gallery Louis de Bayser, 2008 Paris
Now in: Berlin, Gemäldegalerie, Main floor, Room 21
Comes from: France, Paris, location unknown.
Passed through: Paris, Estate sale of the Collection Jean de Julienne (30/03/1767, no. 231); Paris, Collection Prince du Conti (until 1777); Paris, Collection Comte d’Orsay (1777/79–1790); Paris, Auction of the Collection Comte d’Orsay (14/04/1790, no. 17); Paris, Auction of the Collection Comte d’Orsay (20/03/1810, no. 29); Paris, Millon & Associés (09/12/2005, Nr. 119) by Hubert Duchemin for Eric Turquin. Experts en Tableaux; Paris, Biennale des Antiquaires (2006); Paris, Art dealer Louis de Bayser (2006–2008); Berlin, Kaiser Friedrich Museumsverein (since 2008, €95,000)[1]
Conservation history: Restauration of The Breakfast and The Reading Woman prior to 1790 from the same conservator: doubling of the canvas, clamping onto a stretcher frame.[2] Frame (R.I.Nr.93. cat. no. 15-KFMV): Régence (around 1715/23). Restored in 2008 by Sabine Friedrich (frame) and Bernhard Lankers (corpus).[3]
COMMENTARY
The painting The Reading Woman by Jean-François de Troy depicts an elegantly dressed woman in lost profile reading a letter, [4] illuminated by delicate light. Positioned in an interior space, she leans out from a peculiar wall opening towards the viewers, creating a sense of intimacy and engagement. Her posture exudes serenity and concentration, as if she is lost in another world. The painting, dating back to 1723, measures 36 cm in height and 27.5 cm in width and is painted on canvas. It is set in an original Régence frame (around 1715/23), which was restored in 2008.[5]

Jean-François de Troy was a French painter and engraver of the 18th century,[6] and his art remains highly sought after to this day. The Reading Woman, along with The Breakfast (Berlin, Gemäldegalerie, Fig. 2), [7] represents the start of de Troy’s series of tableaux de mode, paintings that can be considered highly valuable for the development of French genre painting.[8] The tableaux de mode portray contemporary genre scenes of an elegant and luxurious lifestyle, capturing ideals of love and fashion as reinterpreted from Antoine Watteau’s fêtes galantes in combination with a distinct suggestive realism.[9] The graceful atmosphere, intricate details, and vibrant colors make The Reading Woman a masterful painting that captivates its viewers.
After being separated from its counterpart, The Reading Woman’s location remained unknown, until it was rediscovered in the early 2000s. What journey did The Reading Woman take, and to what extent does the painting form a contrasting pair with The Breakfast?
Jean-François de Troy: A Career between Paris and Rome
De Troy was born on January 27, 1679, in Paris, and passed away on January 26, 1752, in Rome at the age of almost 73.[10] He spent the majority of his life in these two cities. Introduced to painting at an early age by his father, the portrait painter François de Troy (1645–1730) [11], the artist went on to become the director of the French Academy at the Palazzo Mancini in Rome in 1738, a position he held until his death.[12] De Troy underwent his artistic training in Italy from 1698 to 1706, collaborating with his father at the court of the Grand Duke in Florence.[13] Upon his return to Paris in 1708, de Troy was granted admission to the esteemed Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture. Ten years later, in 1719, he was appointed professor in the same institution.[14]
A notable contemporary and rival of de Troy was the French painter François Lemoyne (1688–1737), with whom he engaged in artistic competition following their encounter at the Paris Salon exhibition in 1725. Lemoyne, who held the prestigious title of Premier peintre du roi under King Louis XV (1710–1774), enjoyed the privilege of executing significant public commissions.[15] Despite this competition, de Troy achieved considerable success in the 1730s through his intricate designs for the series of paintings titled The Story of Esther, which he completed in Rome in 1740.
De Troy’s work influenced French painting during 18th century, but also beyond. In the early stages of his career, the painter produced a variety of different genres: mythological, biblical, and historical scenes, altarpieces as well as occasional landscapes. Between 1723 and 1737, he also created numerous tableaux de mode.[16] The Reading Woman, as well as The Breakfast, mark the starting point of this series.
Decoding the Symbolism of The Reading Woman
Set against a dark backdrop, an elegant woman, seemingly of the upper class, takes the center stage as she immerses herself in the act of reading. The choice of attire hints at her elevated social status, a detail that can be described as characteristic for the luxury and elegance depicted in the tableaux de mode.
But who is she? As her full face remains unseen, she was most likely a model intended to represent an unidentified figure from the French aristocracy, maybe the same person as in The Breakfast.[17] Her gaze and posture draw attention to the letter in her hands: Is she reading the words of someone familiar to her – perhaps a friend or a lover?
According to Christoph Martin Vogtherr, the intricacies of her appearance, from the tied knot in her hair to the exposed shoulders adorned with a stole featuring pink stripes, might suggest a deliberate effort by de Troy to infuse the painting with a sense of mysticism and eroticism.[18] Furthermore, the deep blue dress she wears attracts the viewer’s attention, for its folds dramatically, in harmony with the draped curtain on the left. On the right, a bare pillar frames the scene vertically, introducing a contrasting element to the softness of the textiles and the warmth emanating from the girl’s red-glowing cheeks. As noted by Tobias Kunz, this interplay between the luxurious fabric and the stark pillar might symbolize the theme of love and emotional turbulence experienced by lovers teetering between two extremes.[19]
Artistic Echoes: The Reading Woman as a Point of Reference
Dutch genre and window paintings of the 17th century by artists such as Willem van Mieris (1662–1747) enjoyed great popularity during the era of Louis XV.[20] These paintings were characterized by their format and choice of motifs, similar to those in The Reading Woman. Girl Reading a Letter at the Window (1659) by Jan Vermeer (1632–1675), which also portrays a girl absorbed in thought, holding a letter in her hands, was in Paris until 1742 and could have been – as suggested by Rainer Michaelis – a source of inspiration for de Troy.[21]

Another comparison can be made with Jeune femme lisant une lettre (Young Woman Reading a Letter, 1717/18, Fig. 3) by Jean Raoux (1677–1734). Raoux’s work pre-dates de Troy’s. Similarities with de Troy’s painting can be identified in the curtain, lighting, and coloration.[22] Notably, de Troy presents the figure from a different perspective,[23] turning her back to the viewer and facing the letter – a representation characteristic of the onset of the so-called Age of Sensibility in the 18th century.[24] The term marks a period in literature and culture that is characterized by an emphasis on emotion, empathy, and the exploration of human feelings. By painting the woman focused inwardly and in touch with her emotions, it becomes evident that de Troy not only embraces the traditions of Dutch genre painting in his work but also explores new perspectives within the context of an emerging interest on feelings and inner reflection in the 18th century.
Twists and Turns in the Painting’s Provenance History
The acquisition in 2008 marked a poignant moment in the history of the tableaux de mode, as it meant the reunion of a long-separated pair of paintings. Jean-François de Troy’s The Reading Woman was reunited with its counterpart, The Breakfast, thanks to the efforts of the Kaiser Friedrich Museumsverein, which acquired the former at a cost of 95,000€.[25] The Breakfast had been acquired long before, in 1843, from the collection of Berlin publisher Georg Andreas Reimer and has been housed in the Gemäldegalerie ever since.[26] A harmonious framing, commissioned for The Breakfast on the basis on the original Régence frame of The Reading Woman, further emphasized their status as captivating pendants.[27]
The journey of The Reading Woman and The Breakfast, however, had begun centuries earlier, making us reflect on the twists and turns in the lives of these artworks. Both paintings were recorded on the estate auction of art collector Jean de Jullienne in Paris on March 30, 1767 (no. 231).[28] Jean de Jullienne, a fervent admirer of Antoine Watteau, likely viewed in de Troy’s work a stylistically fitting complement to the former. In turn, de Jullienne’s interest offered de Troy a significant opportunity to reinforce his presence in the competitive Parisian art market.[29]
The two paintings, which are presumed to have been part of de Jullienne’s collection since their creation,[30] then found their way into the hands of the Prince du Conti and later, in 1777/79 into the collection of the Comte d’Orsay.[31] No sources have been found that provide detailed information regarding the transfer of the works into the collection of the Prince du Conti and, subsequently, into that of the Comte d’Orsay. The results from a recent conservation treatment show that the two paintings were treated by the same restorer before 1790, based on similarities in the framing and stretching.[32] This is an indication that they may have been in the same location until that time, most likely in the collection of the Comte D’Orsay.
On April 14, 1790, the paintings were auctioned, reportedly as a pair,[33] opening a gap in their provenance history. Were the two pendants separated from that moment onwards? A year after the death of Pierre Gaspard Marie Grimod, comte d’Orsay (1748–1809), on March 20, 1810, The Reading Woman (auction no. 29) reappeared at the auction of the Comte d’Orsay collection.[34] Did the painting somehow find its way back in the d’Orsay collection or – most likely – had it remained unsold in the first auction and silently resided there all those years? Who acquired the painting in 1810? Unfortunately, we do not have further information about the painting’s whereabouts for nearly two centuries.
In the next step, The Reading Woman resurfaced at the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris in July 2006.[35] Its rediscovery paved the way for its acquisition by the Kaiser Friedrich Museumsverein in 2008. When I contacted the gallery owner, Louis de Bayser, he had little information about the provenance of the painting, that he had acquired in 2006 from the art dealer Hubert Duchemin in Rouen.[36]
Duchemin had purchased the work on the 9th of December in 2005 at Millon & Associés, Paris (auction no. 119) under the name of the company he was working with at that time: Eric Turquin.[37] In the auction catalogue, the work was sold as a “derivation [reprise] of a lost painting by Jean-Francois de Troy” by a follower of de Troy belonging to the French 18th century school. The auction base was therefore only 3,000 Euros.
This description provides essential information: the painting was sold under the assumption that it was a later derivation, not de Troy’s original. Duchemin claims that he had to convince de Troy scholar Christophe Leribault (Chairman of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie) that this assumption was incorrect.[38] This event is crucial for the provenance of the painting, since its change of attribution led to a dramatic increase in its commercial and art-historical value. When did the original start being considered a copy, and what does this mean for its history from 1810 to 2005? To find this out, I have attempted – so far without success – to approach the auction house Millon & Associés.
The life history of The Reading Woman leaves us with lingering questions about the previous owners and the painting’s whereabouts during the separation from its counterpart.
Reunited at last
The Reading Woman and The Breakfast, an engaging pair of paintings, reflect the essence of 18th-century French artistry and demonstrate a deliberate use of symmetry in their composition.[39] Beyond their individual character, these small yet intricately crafted artworks harmonize in their distinct differences. Copied and engraved over the years (amongst others by Jacques Chéreau the Younger in 1762),[40] they offer a glimpse into the artist’s intended arrangement, with The Reading Woman positioned on the left and The Breakfast on the right, as in their current hanging in the Gemäldegalerie (Fig.4).

The paintings, rich in symmetries and contrasts, explore themes of interior and exterior, costumed figures and nudity, red and blue color tones, as well as three-quarter profile and lost profile.[41] Rainer Michaelis’ insightful interpretation unveils another layer of meaning, portraying the paintings as allegories of sense of taste in The Breakfast and sight in The Reading Woman.[42]
The provenance history of the The Reading Woman leaves many questions unanswered: did the painting remain in the collection of the Comte D’Orsay between 1790 and 1810? Who purchased it afterwards? Where has it been for the last 200 years and how did it end up being sold as a copy by the auction house Millon & Associés? Jean-François de Troy designed these paintings as an inseparable pair. Together, they stand as a testament to the artist’s ingenuity and the enduring allure of well-crafted artistic duos.
[1] Michaelis 2010, p.41.
[2] Hartwieg 2010, p. 40.
[3] Michaelis 2010, p. 41.
[4] Michaelis 2010, p. 42.
[5] Michaelis 2010, p. 41.
[6] Königliche Museen zu Berlin 1906, p.400.
[7] Kunz 2022, p. 283.
[8] Vogtherr 2011, p.119.
[9] Vogtherr 2011, p.119.
[10] Königliche Museen zu Berlin 1906, p.400.
[11] Königliche Museen zu Berlin 1906, p.400.
[12] Vogtherr 2011, p.119.
[13] Michaelis 2009, p. 18.
[14] Vogtherr 2011, p.119.
[15] Vogtherr 2011, p.119.
[16] Vogtherr 2011, p.119.
[17] Lindemann 2021, min. 04:42.
[18] See also Vogtherr 2011, p.119.
[19] Kunz 2022, p.283.
[20] Kunz 2022, p. 283.
[21] Michaelis 2010, p.44.
[22] Michaelis 2010, p.44.
[23] Michaelis 2010, p.44. See: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010059575, accessed October 18, 2025.
[24] Lindemann 2021, min. 06:46.
[25] The painting was inventoried as a permanent loan from the Kaiser-Friedrich-Museumsverein to the Gemäldegalerie in April 2008 (Michelis 2010, p. 41).
[26] Michaelis 2010, p.34.
[27] Kaiser Friedrich Museumsverein: Troy, Jean-François. 1679 Paris – 1752 Rom. Die Lesende, 1723. https://kaiser-friedrich-museumsverein.de/die-lesende/, accessed on 03.03.2024.
[28] Michaelis 2010, p.41.
[29] Vogtherr 2011, p.119.
[30] Kunz 2022, p.283.
[31] Michaelis 2010, p. 41.
[32] Hartwieg 2010, p. 40.
[33] The auction record is as quoted from Michaelis, 2010, p. 41: “Am 14. April 1790 auf der Versteigerung Comte d’Orsay (Nr. 17) wohl gemeinsam mit dem Gegenstück(?)..“ and Kunz, 2022, p.283 „Versteigerung Comte d’Orsay (Paris, 14.4.1790, Nr. 17, wohl mit Pendant)“.
[34] Michaelis 2010, p. 41.
[35] Michaelis 2010, p. 41.
[36] I would like to thank Louis de Bayser for providing me with the information of the acquisition of the painting (emails of 29.11.2023, 22.02.2024 and 18.10.2024).
[37] Kind message from Hubert Duchemin to the author (email of 25.10.2024)
[38] See footnote 34.
[39] Lindemann 2021, min. 02:29.
[40] Kunz 2022, p.283.
[41] Vogtherr 2011, p.119.
[42] Michaelis 2022, p.44. See also P. Rosenberg München-Bonn 2005, p. 435.
SOURCES
General Bibliography
Hartwieg, Babette. Technologischer Befund. In: Michaelis, Rainer; Hartwieg, Babette; Stehr, Ute; Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (ed.), Jean-François de Troy (1679–1752). Die Werke in der Berliner Gemäldegalerie. Technologische Befunde von Babette Hartwieg und Ute Stehr. Berlin: Nicolai, 2010: 39-41.
Höltge, Kathrin (ed.). 100 Jahre Mäzenatentum: Die Kunstwerke des Kaiser-Friedrich-Museums-Verein Berlin. Berlin: Kaiser-Friedrich-Museums-Verein, 1997.
Königliche Museen zu Berlin (ed.). Beschreibendes Verzeichnis der Gemälde im Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum und Deutschen Museum, 6th Edition. Berlin: Georg Reimer,1906.
Kunz, Tobias. Katalog. Werke nach Erwerbungsjahr. In: Blass-Simmen, Birgit; Baumgartner, Baumgartner, Stefan; Kaiser Friedrich Museumsverein (eds.). Die Schätze. 125 Jahre Kaiser Friedrich Museumsverein. Petersberg: Michael Imhof, 2022: 283.
Michaelis, Rainer. “Jean-François de Troy »Die Lesende«. Eine Neuerwerbung des Kaiser-Friedrich-Museums-Vereins ”. In: Museumsjournal, no. 01 (23. Jahrgang, January-March 2009): 17–19.
Michaelis, Rainer; Hartwieg, Babette; Stehr, Ute; Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (ed.), Jean-François de Troy (1679–1752). Die Werke in der Berliner Gemäldegalerie. Technologische Befunde von Babette Hartwieg und Ute Stehr. Berlin: Nicolai, 2010.
Vogtherr, Christoph Martin. Jean-François de Troy (1679-1752). In: Vogtherr, Christoph Marin; Tonkovich, Jennifer. Jean de Julienne: Collector and Connoisseur. London: Paul Holberton, 2011: 119-121.
München-Bonn 2005: Rosenberg, Pierre (ed.) Poussin, Lorrain, Watteau, Fragonard …: Französische Meisterwerke des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts aus deutschen Sammlungen; eine Ausstellung der Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, der Bayerischen Staatsgemäldesammlungen, München, der Stiftung Haus der Kunst, München, und der Réunion des Musées Nationaux, Paris; Catalogue of the Exhibition (München-Bonn, 2005-2006). Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2005.
Links:
Kaiser Friedrich Museumsverein: Troy, Jean-François. 1679 Paris – 1752 Rom. Die Lesende, 1723. https://kaiser-friedrich-museumsverein.de/die-lesende/, accessed on 03.03.2024.
Bernd W. Lindemann: Jean-François de Troy: Die Lesende (1/10) (Kaiser Friedrich Museumsverein, Film, “10 Kurzporträts – Erwerbungen des KFMV 2008 bis 2019 für Gemäldegalerie und Skulpturensammlung. ”), 26.02.2021, https://kaiser-friedrich-museumsverein.de/die-lesende/, accessed on 05.03.2024.
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Cite as: Eva Keller, 2008: Jean-François de Troy, The Reading Woman (c. 1723), in: The Lives of Pictures | Das Leben der Bilder, edited by Matilde Cartolari, https://livespics.hypotheses.org/4271, published on 23.08.2025.
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OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Matilde Cartolari (ed.) (August 23, 2025). 2008: Jean-François de Troy, The Reading Woman (c. 1723) . The Lives of Pictures | . Retrieved December 10, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/14htx

