The memoirs offer a unique glimpse into the life of Madame Vigée Lebrun, a renowned portrait painter of the 18th century. Through her firsthand accounts, readers can explore her experiences in the art world, her relationships with notable figures, and the challenges she faced as a female artist in a male-dominated society. This contemporary edition ensures the text is clear and accessible, preserving her significant contributions to art history for future generations.
Louise Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun (Marie Elisabeth Louise, 1755-1842) was a French painter and the most famous female painter of the 18th century. Her memoirs provide an interesting view of the training of artists at the end of the period dominated by royal academies."
The most accomplished female painter of her age, Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun
(1755-1842) is best remembered for her many portraits of Queen Marie
Antoinette of France. Her two-volume autobiography was published in France in
1835-7, and this English version (of which the translator is unknown) in 1879.
Elisabeth-Louise Vigee-Lebrun (1755-1842) was a French painter. Her style is generally considered Rococo and shows interest in the subject of neoclassical painting. By the time she was in her early teens, she was painting portraits professionally. After her studio was seized, for practicing without a license, she applied to the Academie de Saint Luc, which unwillingly exhibited her works in their Salon. In 1783, she was made a member of the Academie. She painted portraits of many of the nobility of the day and as her career blossomed, she was invited to the Palace of Versailles to paint Marie Antoinette. After the arrest of the royal family during the French Revolution Vigee-Lebrun fled France with her young daughter Julie. She lived and worked for some years in Italy, Austria, and Russia. She was welcomed back to France during the reign of Emperor Napoleon I. She visited England at the beginning of the nineteenth century and painted the portrait of several British notables including Lord Byron. She published her memoirs in 1835 and 1837, which provide an interesting view of the training of artists at the end of the period dominated by royal academies.
