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Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun

1755–1842 · Rococo, Neoclassicism

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun (1755-1842) was a French portrait painter from Paris and one of the most admired portraitists of her age. Her work moves from the soft charm of the Rococo toward the simpler, antique-inspired forms of Neoclassicism. This gallery follows her from the French court to the aristocratic sitters she painted in later years.

Life and work

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun was born in Paris in 1755 and died there in 1842. She received her first training from her father, a portraitist, and was painting professional portraits while still very young. She went on to become one of the most sought-after portraitists of her generation. Her reputation rests above all on her images of the French court in the years before the Revolution. These include her many portraits of Queen Marie Antoinette and of figures in the queen's circle, such as the Duchess de Polignac. Her early manner belongs to the Rococo, with soft light, delicate colour and an air of easy intimacy. As taste turned toward antiquity, she absorbed Neoclassical ideas. She simplified dress and drew on classical themes, as in her depictions of Emma, Lady Hamilton in mythological roles. Because she was closely associated with the monarchy, she left France when the Revolution broke out and spent many years abroad, painting aristocrats and royalty. The portraits of Stanislaw Augustus, Princess Alexandra Golitsyna and Louise, Queen of Prussia come from this long period of travel. She later returned to Paris and wrote memoirs recounting her career and her sitters. She remains one of the best-known women artists of the eighteenth century.

Court portraits: Marie Antoinette à la rose (1783) and Duchess de Polignac (1782)

These two portraits show Vigée Le Brun at the height of her court career, painting in a refined Rococo manner. Look at how she lets light fall gently across the face and shoulders, keeping skin luminous and shadows soft. Fabrics are a highlight: notice the sheen of silk, the lightness of lace and the play of ribbons and flowers. In the portrait of the queen, the rose held in the hand adds a note of grace and informality. Both sitters appear relaxed and approachable rather than stiffly ceremonial, a quality that helped make her portraits so admired.

Classical roles: the Lady Hamilton portraits (1790, 1791) and Giuseppina Grassini (1804)

In these later works you can see her Neoclassical side. In Lady Hamilton as Ariadne and Emma, Lady Hamilton, the sitter is cast in a role, not shown in fashionable court dress. Look for loose, flowing hair, simple draped garments and expressive poses that recall ancient myth and theatre. Backgrounds are quieter and colours more restrained than in her court portraits. This lets the figure and her emotion carry the picture. The portrait of the singer Giuseppina Grassini in the role of Zaire continues this interest in performance, presenting the sitter as a character on stage.

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