Élisabeth Vigee Le Brun
On this day in 1755, Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, a French painter who specialized in portraiture, was born. On this occasion, we present her self-portrait. :)
Facing the viewer, Elisabeth wears the warm, engaging smile characteristic of her earlier self-portraits. Her elegant black silk dress—an allusion to the dignity of her status—is enlivened by a vivid red sash at her waist. A white turban crowns her brown curls, recalling the exotic headpieces favored by Rembrandt in many of his self-portraits. The result is a fresh and animated image that highlights both her graceful beauty and her artistic mastery.
She created this painting in Italy. While traveling to Rome at the outbreak of the French Revolution, which forced her to flee Paris, she stopped in Florence and visited the Palazzo Pitti and the Uffizi Gallery. There she admired the celebrated collection of self-portraits initiated in the 17th century by Leopoldo de' Medici.
She was especially impressed by the self-portrait of her contemporary, the Swiss painter Angelica Kauffman. Seizing the moment, the director of the Uffizi, Giuseppe Bencivenni Pelli, invited her to contribute her own likeness to the prestigious collection. Elisabeth accepted with enthusiasm.
Once in Rome, she worked tirelessly and completed the painting in just six weeks. “I have portrayed myself with palette in hand, before a canvas on which I am sketching the queen in white chalk,” she wrote. Conceived as a double portrait, the work pays homage to her sovereign, Marie Antoinette, affirming her loyalty to the ancien régime that had supported and celebrated her career.
P.S. Vigée Le Brun’s artworks are featured in our postcard sets dedicated to women artists; find your favorites and celebrate extraordinary female talent.
P.P.S. Le Brun was one of the most accomplished portraitists of the European royals. Meet the high-profile subjects of Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun!