Daring The Life and Art of Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun by Jordana Pomeroy

Filled with pictures of the stunning paintings of this remarkable artist, this book tells her fascinating, adventurous and tragic life. Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun’s talent was recognized very early and she was patronised by Queen Marie Antoinette when she was only 23, part of an admiring circle of French aristocrats. This changed when the violence of the French Revolution began, so cleverly recognising the danger that she was in, Elizabeth made a daring escape with her beloved daughter and her daughter’s governess, beginning a nomadic life. Her husband helped them escape but stayed behind.

She travelled to Italy, Austria, Switzerland and England, feted by royalty and aristocracy, and given membership of prestigious academies. Catherine the Great asked to meet her very soon after she travelled to Russia, where she was the first women elected to join the prestigious Imperial Academy. Always in search of adventure and danger, she went to Mt Vesuvius shortly after it erupted, where lumps of black lava still lay and she could still see smoke! Her travels must have been exceedingly difficult in those days in bumpy, uncomfortable carriages on rough roads.

Her life was beset by tragedy with the early deaths of her father, daughter and brother. She obviously had a very sunny disposition, though, and probably her Catholicism helped her as well. She seems to have been very stoic and enduring.

This was a fascinating and enjoyable book about the great artist. I also liked the side-boxes about the people that she painted and other informative topics about the era. I will definitely buy it if I can find the room!

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.