The Memoirs of Madame Vigée Lebrun
The Memoirs of Madame Vigée Lebrun
Translated by Lionel Strachey
''The Memoirs of Madame Vigée Lebrun'' is a historical memoir by Louise-Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, written in the early 19th century. It chronicles her life as a prominent portrait painter in 18th-century France, detailing her childhood, rise to fame, and experiences at the court of Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution. The memoir offers insights into the cultural and social dynamics of her time, as well as her artistic journey and relationships with influential figures. This work is notable for its unique perspective on the challenges faced by female artists in a male-dominated field.
Editions
X-Ray
“Arrested and imprisoned, Madame du Barry was judged and condemned to death by the revolutionary tribunal at the end of 1793. She was the only woman, amongst the numbers of women who perished in those days, who was unable to face the scaffold; she wept, she implored mercy from the horrible crowd which surrounded her, and that crowd was so affected by her entreaties that the executioner hastened to put an end to her agony. I am convinced that had the victims of that awful time not died so courageously, the Terror would have ceased much sooner.””
— Louise-Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun
