A previously unaccounted-for self-portrait by 18th-century French artist Adélaïde Labille-Guiard sold at Tajan auction house in Paris for €843,800 ($988,785), far exceeding its estimate of €300,000–€500,000. After the hammer fell, a representative of the Palace of Versailles invoked France's droit de préemption law to claim the 1782 pastel work for the national collection, preventing its private sale.
The preemption underscores the French state's ongoing commitment to securing cultural heritage, especially works by historically significant women artists. Labille-Guiard was a pioneering female painter who gained admission to the Royal Academy in 1783 and is known for her royal portraits and advocacy for women artists. The self-portrait, which debuted at the 1782 Salon de la Correspondance and sparked a rivalry with Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, is now destined for Versailles, which is organizing a solo exhibition devoted to the artist.