A beautiful and well written YA/teen biography of the French artist Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun. I am someone who plans trips to visit art and great museums. I have seen Le Brun’s works in multiple museums and countries, but really knew nothing of her life. I am fascinated by women artists who have talents that cannot be denied in their own lifetime. Le Brun was the daughter of an artist who encouraged her work. She was the first of only 15 women ever allowed into French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. She found a successful career before the French Revolution and painted multiple commissions of Marie Antoinette. She fled France and found work around Europe before finally returning to her country. I love that she lived a long 86 years and was a prolific artist. She even wrote her own memoir.

This book is wonderfully laid out. It follows her life and includes many of her paintings in color. It also includes side notes about the history of the time that impacts her life. I thought it was fascinating that she was sent to live with a wet nurse in the countryside rather than staying with her parents as a child in Paris. And what a common thing that was at the time. There are descriptions of each art work. I love that in the back of the book are photo credits so you know which museums have those works now. I have added smaller museums in the USA to my list of art places to visit.

A school teacher friend of mine told me that YA biographies are a great way to learn about people. This is a perfect example of giving a lot of good information, in only 112 pages. I was in France last October and realized I have photos of some of her paintings from my visits to the Louvre and Versailles. This was a treat for me to read and easy to recommend to teens and adult readers alike.

I was thrilled to read more about artist Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun. I have seen her self-portrait in person and was fascinated to learn more about her life and see more of her beautiful paintings. This book hits all the highlights – court painter to Marie Antoinette, fleeing for life, travelling Europe and painting Catherine the Great. It also touchingly explores her relationship with her only daughter, who travelled with her for many years. A great book for art lovers or historians and everyone else, too.


Thank you to NetGalley and Getty Publications for this DRC.
#Daring #NetGalley

Arc received through NetGalley.

The only complaint I have about this book is it's length, I wanted it to go on for way longer than it did.

The lay-out looks great to me and the writing reads easily.

I had seen her paintings but before reading this book I knew nothing of the artist. I was delighted to learn about her colorful life and groundbreaking art.

Elisabeth Vigee LeBrun wrote a memoir filled with the famous people she met as a portraitist, including Marie Antoinette and Catherine the Great.

Her story as an artist began as a child instructed by her father, who died when she was twelve. One of her father’s friends encouraged her to continue lessons and by her late teens, art had become the focus of her life. She married an artist and art collector under pressure from her mother, and to escape her stepfather.

Elisabeth painted over thirty portraits of Marie Antoinette and her family. One infamous painting showed Marie in her comfortable white chemise, which scandalized society. She had to paint another, with Marie is more traditional court dress.

Elisabeth was so busy by day painting, and socializing at night, that it impacted her health.

With the French Revolution, Elisabeth fled her homeland with her daughter, and was welcomed into society across Europe, painting portraits to earn her keep. She was an intrepid sightseer, hiking up Mt. Vesuvius to peer into the magma. Her husband, now her ex, finally arranged for her to safely return to France.

Elisabeth was eight-six when she passed, having painted 800 canvases.

Elisabeth’s paintings fill the book. She was masterful at details of costume, often portraying her subjects in the character of a mythological person. There is a freshness and idealism to her faces, the lips often parted as if beginning to smile, the eyes large and expressive.

Elisabeth captured the images of women who shaped politics and culture. I was delighted to learn her story.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley

I tore through this book in less than an hour! I am a French Revolution era nerd and was a high school art nerd, so this was the intersection of passions of mine. Stylistically, I loved the look and feel of the book. The use of modern colors and page layouts with the art. There are so many paintings in this book that show the time and the "characters" in Elizabeth's story. The writing is engaging and does not feel like a dry history book. I think people who don't enjoy non-fiction could enjoy this one.

ARC from NetGalley.