Liotard et Marie-Antoinette : visages sous enquête

Exhibition at the Musée d'art et d'histoire (MAH), Geneva, 3 October 2026 – 7 February 2027

The Genevan artist Jean-Étienne Liotard (1702–1789) was one of the great portraitists of his time. Highly regarded by Empress Maria Theresa, he produced numerous portraits of members of the Austrian imperial family, including Archduchess Maria Antonia (1755–1793), who later became Marie Antoinette, Queen of France. A collection of 11 portrait drawings depicting members of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine is now held in the collection of the Geneva Museum of Art and History.

This exhibition catalogue invites readers to discover recent research into the exact identities of these figures and the history of these works over time. It is based on a unique interdisciplinary research project, which combined traditional archival research with cutting-edge technologies in facial recognition and forensic science, comparing historical paintings and drawings with modern digital images in order to accurately identify the individuals depicted by Liotard. The book offers an exceptionally rich insight into Liotard’s masterful drawings, as well as a fascinating and innovative exploration of the stories they hold.