Historical portraiture displays its subjects at their most beautiful and worthy of contemplation, and the commission of it is a gesture toward keeping up appearances, an important part of courtly life. In portraiture, the setting is well-appointed, and the subject always viewed at his or her best angle. It is ironic, then, that portraiture in The Princesse de Clèves does so much to reveal, rather than disguise, the imperfections of its main characters. When M. de Nemours steals Mme de Clèves’s portrait, he creates a rift in the subtle game they’ve been playing, making his desire for her something he can no longer playfully deny or retract. Later, when she purchases painting bearing his likeness, he takes it as an invitation to continue spying on her.

Mme de Clèves complains that, due to her blonde hair, she cannot wear yellow. Consequently, M. de Nemours takes it up as his flag in various public tournaments as a subtle gesture toward the object of his affection. In private, we witness the princess trying on different yellow ribbons she wouldn’t dare to wear in public. The color yellow becomes a symbol of her interiority and vulnerability. She desires to be seen in yellow just as she desires M.