Mademoiselle Exelmans was most likely the daughter of French commander Rémy Joseph Isidore Exelmans (1775-1852), Amélie Exelmans (b.1815). Though little is known about her, her father’s military career has been well-recorded. Soon into his career, Exelmans became an aide-de-camp to General Elbe, and later under General Murat. It was under the latter that he had served at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805. Multiple times in his career he was forced out of France, once as a Prisoner of War in England between 1808 and 1811, and again during the second restoration, as he was a supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte. This support, however, allowed him success in later life, and in 1851 and 1852 respectively he was made Marshal of France, and then Senator, by Louis Napoleon. This later success may have contributed towards Exelmans being able to commission such a portrait of a loved one as this.

Mademoiselle Exelmans may have had some societal notoriety or have thought to represent a beauty ideal of the Napoleonic era. This theory is supported by other versions of the current portrait, all perhaps stemming from the portrait of the sitter by Daniel Saint in the collection of the Louvre in Paris (inv. no. RF 5082). Whilst Saint painted this image, other artists have emulated it and it is possible, as in the case here, that Saint’s studio or students also made versions. The fine period frame on this example, and the high quality of painting, certainly suggest some input from the master himself.