ABSTRACT
One of the most ambitious, charismatic, and successful artists of her day, Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun has earned a solid position within the canon of Western art history for her vivaciously naturalistic portraiture. Vigee-Lebrun’s fascinating and highly eventful career was documented by various writers in her lifetime, with the best-known version being the artist’s own memoirs, recorded with the aid of her nieces and published between 1835 and 1837. Although the narrative by Jean-Baptiste only covers a portion of Vigee-Lebrun’s life, it is in many respects the most interesting and dramatic period of her career. An image of Vigee-Lebrun was not included in the Precis historique, but this was not due to a dearth of images of the artist. It is believed that she created some forty self-portraits in the course of her career (some of which are autograph copies of originals).
