Singer In The Role Of Chained Andromeda, Possibly From Persée By Lully (1682)

Singer in the Role of Chained Andromeda, Possibly from Persée by Lully (1682)

Marie Aubry (c. 1650 – after 1684), renowned soprano of the Académie Royale de Musique and the original performer of Andromède in Jean-Baptiste Lully’s Persée, is very likely the model for this small, theatrical portrait. The alignment between iconography, dating, and fashion of the time makes this hypothesis convincing.

The young woman is portrayed in stage costume, wearing a bracelet from which a chain descends — a striking and unambiguous visual element that directly evokes the myth of Andromeda, bound to a rock and awaiting the sea monster. This is not a generic female portrait, but a depiction that suggests a specific dramatic role.

Her low-set hairstyle, curled locks at the temples, and the softly draped neckline trimmed with lace match the French fashion of the early 1680s, just before the rise of elaborate coiffures in the following decade. The painting can thus be confidently dated to the years immediately after the Paris premiere of Persée.

Born in Florence, Jean-Baptiste Lully arrived in France as a servant to the Duchess of Montpensier. Thanks to his musical brilliance and political acumen, he rose to become the most powerful composer at the court of Louis XIV. Founder of the Académie Royale de Musique, he developed a new form of theatrical spectacle that integrated music, dance, and elaborate stage effects. Marie Aubry was among his most celebrated interpreters.

In 1684, she was entangled in a scandalous affair: a suspected plot to poison Lully, reportedly involving another singer and a dancer from the company. Though the affair never led to legal consequences, it marked the end of her career. If this portrait indeed represents Aubry, it provides not only a glimpse into her likeness, but a rare visual trace of the operatic and political theatre of the Grand Siècle — where image, power, and intrigue intertwined.

Oil on canvas, anciently mounted on oak panel
after 1682
French school
30 × 22 cm (painted oval)
33 × 28 cm (panel)
40 × 48 cm (with frame)

Condition: some abrasions and earlier restorations; surface remains clearly legible. The frame shows small cracks and losses in the gilding.