Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun - Grand Palais

The first French retrospective of portrait artist, Elisabeth Louise Vignée le Brun (1755-1864) opens Wednesday at Grand Palais - 130 works.

It's on till January 11, 2016

Clever Vignee Le Brun painted many self-portraits early days in her career - perhaps the first 'selfies'?

Her father, a pastel artist of some renown, taught her how to effectively use her tools.

Though he died when she was just 12, her path was chosen. She studied diligently the work of many artists of her time and in 1776 married Jean-Babtiste Pierre le Brun, important gallery owner of his generation(clever girl again). He continued her artistic education.

I was smitten with her repeated use of robin's egg blue throughout her early portraits.

Such a becoming color makes the sitter's cheeks look fresh and rosy.

A lovely pet portrait.

Certainly a sketch or etude. Le Brun began by doing self-portraits and portraits of her friends, mainly of the bourgeoisie. Word of her talent spread and Queen Marie-Antoinette summoned her to paint herself and her family and her reputations was established among the aristocracy.

Vigee Le Brun was also known for her paintings of 'maternal tenderness'.

'Since the Royal Academy was founded in 1648, under the Regency of Anne of Austria, only a very limited number of female artists had been admitted. As they were not allowed to draw nude males in life classes, they were excluded from the most esteemed genre, history painting, which required a perfect understanding of anatomy and the assimilation of gesture codes. Therefore, Vigée Le Brun concentrated on portraits, despite some very fine incursions into history and genre paintings. Her desire to break away from the constraints imposed upon female artists enabled her to develop very personal techniques and aesthetic criteria. She mastered the science of colours and invented a whole range of poses and costumes that brought great variety to her portraits and improvisations.' More info HERE.

The exhibit covers 2 floors. take the stairway up on the right

So as not to miss the smashing view of the Grand Palais arcades.

The Queen en famille. Red became dominant in her color palette.
When the Revolution took over, Vigee le Brun had to flee for her life.

She spent 12 years traveling around Europe, even to Russia, before returning to France.

Lovely small pastel landscape sketches..

Vigee le Brun knew how to capture those Paris clouds.

I looked high and low in the Grand Palais gift shop for some robin's egg blue silk ribbons. Dommage

But they missed out on that detail.

They also missed out on pastel-colored meringues.
September 23 - January 11 2016 Elisabeth Vigee le Brun - Grand Palais.
More photos HERE.
Blue and pink Kitty portrait in the Metro yesterday.