1. Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun: A Star is Born—With a Paintbrush
(c) The National Trust for Scotland, Fyvie Castle; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation
Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, an astonishing female artist in a world dominated by men, was born in Paris in 1755; she was the kind of prodigy you read about in novels. By the time she was 15, she was already taking paid portrait commissions. At 19, she was running her studio illegally because she wasn’t yet part of the all-male painters’ guild.
Her secret weapon? A steady hand, a killer eye for elegance, and a talent for flattery that didn’t feel fake. She could paint you looking 10 years younger and like you belonged on a throne.
Naturally, one of her biggest fans would be the ultimate queen of glam herself: Marie Antoinette.
2. The Queen and the Paintbrush
Vigée Le Brun became the official portraitist of Marie Antoinette at just 23. Not only did she capture the queen’s controversial charm, she also helped shape her public image. Think of her as Marie Antoinette’s royal PR team, with oil paint instead of Photoshop.
Some highlights:
- Marie Antoinette in a Chemise Dress (1783): A shocker in its time. The queen wears a simple muslin gown, basically her version of “no-makeup makeup.” Critics were scandalized. The painting? A masterpiece.
- Marie Antoinette and Her Children (1787): An attempt to rehab the queen’s public image, showing her as a devoted mother. It’s part politics, part propaganda, and pure artistry.
Le Brun’s portraits were lush, feminine, and full of personality, with less stiff court poses and more “here’s the real me, looking fabulous.”
3. Uh-Oh… The Revolution
So, what happens when you’re famous for painting aristocrats and a revolution breaks out?
You pack your brushes and run.
In 1789, as the French Revolution got spicy (read: guillotines), Le Brun fled the country with her young daughter. What followed was a 12-year art world tour that most artists would kill for. She painted in Italy, Austria, Russia, and Germany, charming royals, dukes, poets, and philosophers wherever she went.
While France was losing its head, Élisabeth was gaining commissions.
4. A Woman in a Man’s World (and Owning It)
Élisabeth wasn’t just good, she was revolutionary in her own right:
- She painted over 660 portraits in her lifetime.
- She was one of the first women admitted to the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture in France.
- She wrote detailed memoirs, giving us a front-row seat to 18th-century court life, travel adventures, and the business of being a woman artist in a powdered-wig world.
Also? She never apologized for being ambitious or feminine. She wore elegant dresses while painting, refused to hide her talent, and documented her life with the wit of a seasoned novelist.
5. The Selfie Queen of Her Time
Le Brun was one of the first artists to paint herself… smiling. That was radical. Smiling in portraits was considered improper or unserious.
But she didn’t care. In her 1787 Self-Portrait, she beams as she paints a canvas of her daughter. It’s warm, lively, and a subtle flex, like she’s saying, “I’m not just surviving. I’m thriving.”
6. Legacy: More Than Just Pretty Faces
Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun died in 1842 at age 86. For a long time, critics dismissed her as “just a society painter.” But today, we see the truth: she captured women as people, not props.
She painted vulnerability, strength, elegance, and character, especially in an age when women were expected to be seen and not heard. She made them unforgettable.
7. Why She Matters Now
In a world still catching up with gender equality, Vigée Le Brun’s story hits home. She succeeded on talent, charm, and sheer resilience. She traveled, adapted, evolved, and she painted her way through one of the most turbulent centuries in history.
And she never gave up her joy.
8. Closing Thoughts
Le Brun didn’t just paint queens. She was one.
Have you seen her work in person or online? Did you know her story before this? Let me know in the comments—and share this blog if you think more people should know her name.
Up next: Rosa Bonheur: The Wild Woman Who Painted Bulls Better Than Any Man
