The Duchess de La Vallière, facing left in yellow dress with lace underslip, large jewelled pearl clasp at corsage, pearl necklace and drop pearl earrings, her dark hair dressed in ringlets and entwined with a rope of pearls

Louise-Françoise de La Baume-le-Blanc, Duchess de La Vallière et de Vaujours, was born in 1644. She became one of the most celebrated mistresses of King Louis XIV and gave him at least two children, the comte de Vermandois and the future Princess de Conti. After the death of Anne d'Autriche in 1666, she was promptly recognized as the titular mistress of the Sun King who bestowed her with the title of Duchess. She quickly became very rich by sponsoring petitions to the King, from which she drew a percentage if the petitioner was successful. In 1668, she was replaced in the King's favour by another beauty. At the age of 30, the Duchess retired from court, taking the veil as a Carmelite in the rue Saint-Jacques where she died in 1710, under the name of Soeur Louise de la Miséricorde.
We are indebted to Dr. Hans Boeckh, Geneva, for the identification of the sitter.