Portrait of a Black Woman (1800)

This is Portrait d'une négresse by Marie-Guillemine Benoist.

Marie-Guillemine Benoist was a female Neoclassic painter. She trained under Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun and Jacques-Louis David, whose atelier she joined.

This painting, exhibited at the Salon of 1800, is noteworthy for a number of reasons. First, it's a skillfully done figure study. More importantly, for its time it was a very progressive painting that became a symbol of the rights of black people (slavery in France had been abolished six years prior to this painting) and women in general. It's hard to imagine a painting like this being done in America any time in the 19th century and receiving any acclamation - beyond the nudity, the painting conveys a profound sense of dignity in the subject.

An article about this painting is here (en français).