Portrait of a lady as Sappho, traditionally identified as Mademoiselle George

This painting depicts a lady in the guise of the Greek poetess Sappho, seated nude on a couch, with a sheer white fabric delicately draped around her legs. She gazes upward with a longing expression, holding a tablet on which she has inscribed the name of her lover, Phaon. Behind her stands a small statue of Eros, the Greek god of love, and below the statue hangs a lyre, an object often associated with Sappho to symbolize her lyrical poetry and music. The subject of Sappho was frequently treated by Neoclassical painters, most famously by Jacques-Louis David for his Sappho and Phaon, commissioned by Prince Nikolai Yusupov in 1809, and now in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersbug (inv. no. GE-5668). An old label affixed to the reverse of the present canvas identified the sitter as Mademoiselle George, the stage name of Marguerite George (1787-1867). George was one of the leading actresses of her time and one of Napoleon’s mistresses.

This work has previously been attributed to Baron François Pascal Simon Gérard, one of the most influential Neoclassical painters, and David’s most celebrated pupil. While the reverse of the painting bears an inscription with his name and is dated 1819, the stylistic elements—marked by fluid and expressive brushstrokes—do not reflect Gérard's work from this time. Accordingly, this compelling portrait was likely painted by another accomplished artist within his circle.