Le Brun painted the work in Rome after fleeing France to escape the French Revolution in 1789.

[1] She intended to give the work to the Grand Duke of Tuscany for the gallery that he maintained of artists' self-portraits.

[2]: 229 Elisabeth presents herself with the same warm, engaging smile that distinguished her earlier self-portraits.

She looks at the viewer, is dressed in an elegant black silk robe, which reflects her elevated status, which is accentuated by a vivid red sash at her waist.

Atop her brown curls sits a white turban-like cloth, evoking the headdresses frequently seen in Rembrandt’s self-portraits.