Marguérite Le Comte

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Madame Marguérite Le Comte is the subject of a bronze portrait bust created by Guillaume Coustou II in 1777. This bust was crafted in the middle of the 18th century and showcases Coustou's talent as a sculptor, which he inherited from his family. As a renowned artist, Coustou won the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1735 and went on to study at the French Academy in Rome from 1736 to 1739. Madame Le Comte was married to a high-ranking official prosecutor for Chatelet, Paris, and also had an affair with Henri Watelet, a wealthy Academician painter. Together they traveled to Italy and she even illustrated his book on art, "The Art of Painting," published in 1760. Their trip to Italy was documented in 1764. Marguerite Le Comte was an accomplished amateur artist who received lessons in pastel painting from the wealthy art theorist Claude-Henri Watelet, with whom she had a long-term affair. She became a member of several prestigious academies, including Rome, Florence, Parma, and Naples. Her artistic talents were showcased when she illustrated Watelet's book, "The Art of Painting," which was published in 1760. This object is on display in Room 4, case WE, as part of the Europe 1600-1815 gallery. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London contributed this artifact to Scan the World, a digital archive created by MyMiniFactory that allows users to access fully printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks for free. This initiative is an open-source community effort, and individuals can contribute by emailing stw@myminifactory.com to learn how they can help. The Victoria and Albert Museum, London scanned this artifact using photogrammetry and Agisoft PhotoScan software.