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“I will not attempt to describe the transports I felt when I heard the first cry of my child. Every mother knows what those feelings are.” ~Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun
Élisabeth’s Early Life
Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun (pronunciation)was born in Paris on April 16, 1755. Her father was an artist who trained her in painting. It was obvious that, even from an early age, she had a natural talent for art.
At the age of five years old, her parents entered her into a convent. But when she was twelve, her father passed away, so Élisabeth moved back home with her mother.
During this time she continued to develop her painting skills, and she excelled so much that by the time she was fifteen, she was taking commissions to paint professional portraits to earn a living for her mother and herself.
Le Brun’s Marriage and Family
In 1776, Élisabeth married Jean-Baptiste-Pierre Le Brun, who was also a painter and art dealer. Four years later, she gave birth to a daughter, Jeanne Lucie Louise, whom she called Julie and nicknamed “Brunette.” She and her daughter were always close, and she painted several portraits of herself with Julie.
After Élisabeth’s art was noticed by Marie Antoinette, the queen hired her to paint her portrait. The two quickly became friends, with Marie Antoinette hiring Élisabeth over thirty times to paint portraits of her and her family. Because of this, many people incorrectly assumed that she was the queen’s official portraitist.
The French Royal Academy
In 1783, Élisabeth became a member of the French Royal Academy, which was the most distinguished painter’s guild at the time and accepted very few women artists. In fact, they initially refused her admittance, but Marie Antoinette appealed to her husband, King Louis XVI, and he pushed to have Élisabeth accepted.
When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, Élisabeth and her daughter were forced to leave France, since she was so close to the French royalty. She traveled to Italy but spent a lot of time in Austria, Russia, and Germany. During this time she was commissioned to paint portraits of other royals and aristocrats.
Élisabeth’s Career
After twelve years, Élisabeth was finally able to return to France, however, she continued to travel throughout Europe for the rest of her life. During her lifetime, she produced over 600 portraits and about 200 landscapes. Her art is displayed in many museums, including the Louvre, the National Gallery in London, and the Palace at Versailles.
Books recommended for further study…
The Memoirs of Madame Vigée Lebrun
Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun: The Odyssey of an Artist in an Age of RevolutionThe Exceptional Woman: Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun and the Cultural Politics of ArtVigée Le BrunÉlisabeth Vigée Le Brun – Paintings & Drawings (Zedign Art Series)Moments of Joy Elizabeth Vigee Le Brun: Including excerpts from Souvenirs de Ma Vie and 79 color illustrations
Vigée Le Brun Virtual Tours
Check out the Self-Portrait with her Daughter, Julie from Smarthistory:
This is a video about Madame Perregaux from Smarthistory:
