Artwork Title: Gabrielle d'Estrées et une de ses soeurs  (Gabrielle d'Estrées and One of Her Sisters)

Gabrielle d'Estrées et une de ses soeurs (Gabrielle d'Estrées and One of Her Sisters), 1594

Unknown

This painting by an unknown artist c. 1594 now hangs at the Louvre in Paris and is usually thought to be the work of a painter from the Fontainebleau School. The painting portrays Gabrielle d'Estrées, mistress of King Henry IV of France, sitting nude in a bath, holding a ring. Her sister sits nude beside her and pinches her right nipple. The nipple-pinching gesture is often interpreted as a symbolic announcement that Gabrielle is pregnant with Henry's child, César de Bourbon. According to the Louvre's website: "The oddly affectionate way in which the sister is pinching Gabrielle d'Estrées' right breast has often been taken as symbolizing the latter's pregnancy with the illegitimate child of Henry IV. This interpretation would seem to be confirmed by the scene of the young woman sewing - perhaps preparing a layette for the coming child - in the background." (Article continues with interesting stories @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabrielle_d%27Estr%C3%A9es_et_une_de_ses_s%C5%93urs)
Uploaded on Jul 18, 2013 by Christopher Foster

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