Duchesse de Chartres (1726-1759) as Hebe

Hello everyone! My name is Isabella, and today we're going to be art detectives! We're going to explore a really big and beautiful painting together. Are you ready for an adventure? nn This painting is called "Duchesse de Chartres as Hebe." That's a very long title, isn't it? It's like a puzzle, and we're going to figure out what it all means! nn First, let's look at the woman in the painting. She's wearing a beautiful white dress, just like a princess! She's holding a golden pitcher and a cup. What do you think she's doing with them? nn She's actually dressed up as someone very special from long ago. Her name is Hebe, and she was a goddess from Greek stories. Hebe was known for serving drinks to the other gods, kind of like how you might help set the table for a special dinner! nn Now, look closely next to her. Do you see the big bird with its wings spread out? That's an eagle, and it's a symbol of power and strength. Why do you think the artist put an eagle next to Hebe? nn The artist, a very talented man named François Boucher, wanted to show that this woman, the Duchess, was important and powerful, just like a goddess! He used bright colors and painted her dress flowing in the wind to make her look even more graceful. nn What do you think about the painting now? Isn't it amazing how art can tell us stories about people and times long ago?