The painting represents the official portrait of a French noblewoman: it is the effigy of the niece of Cardinal de Richelieu, daughter of his sister Françoise Du Plessis and René de Vignerod, who married the Marquis of Combalet, but soon became a widow. A haughty, cultured woman and patron of men of letters, from 1625 she was lady-in-waiting to Maria de' Medici, a role from which she was relieved by the queen herself due to disagreements with Richelieu, who gave her the duchy of Aiguillon. Very close to her powerful cardinal uncle, according to gossips, upon his death she inherited part of his assets, including the Petit Luxembourg and the Castle of Rueil; from that date he chose to devote himself to good works. This portrait conveys an image of the strong-willed duchess that corresponds to what of her character can be understood from the facts of her life: the direct, attentive gaze, the erect posture attest to a strong temperament, which the kind gesture of handing the biscuit to the dog does not minimal mask. The great artist who painted the portrait was Philippe de Champaigne, who also created the extraordinary Triple Portrait of Richelieu, which he portrayed several times.