[4] It depicts Leblanc in a proud posture, wearing a black dress and golden necklace, indicating her family's wealth and her own self-assurance.

Ingres used a darker color scheme to draw a bold contrast with the subject of the painting.

[5] The Leblanc family owned the painting until purchased by close friends Edgar Degas and Albert Bartholomé, at which point it started circulating exhibitions in major cities including Paris, London, Moscow, New York, and Washington.

[5] It was also exhibited under original ownership in 1834 at the Salon (Paris) without its pendant by the same artist,[4] Portrait of Jacques-Louis Leblanc.

[5] In 1918 the painting was purchased from Degas's estate sale by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, who displays it on public exhibition.