Women Artists and the French Revolution. Lena Bondar Blair Garrison

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1 Women Artists and the French Revolution Lena Bondar Blair Garrison

2 Status of Women in 18 th Century France Women sensual and natural Men rational and cultural Women limited to housekeeping Women subordinate to men Conflicting depictions of women Flattering and compromising Sympathetic and reproachful

Economic Role Thought to have no political or economic role Widows made jobs available to men and practiced trade of former husbands Women supported

3 Economic Role Thought to have no political or economic role Widows made jobs available to men and practiced trade of former husbands Women supported husbands therefore supporting French economy Particular industries: spinning, weaving, embroidering of household linens, ribbon making, baking, and grain brokers

4 Political Role Before Revolution: indirect role through men Marquise de Pompadour Mme. De Tencin October 5 6, 1789: March on Versailles Social class influenced nature of demands Wanted equal rights Right to divorce Property for widows Educational opportunities Right to employment Exclusion of men from female professions (dressmaking)

Olympe De Gouges Self educated daughter of a butcher Wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman (to parallel the Declaration of the Rights of Man) Having become free, [man] has become unjust toward

5 Olympe De Gouges Self educated daughter of a butcher Wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman (to parallel the Declaration of the Rights of Man) Having become free, [man] has become unjust toward his companion what advantages have you [women] gathered in the Revolution? A scorn more marked, a disdain more conspicuous Was accused of being a counterrevolutionary and an unnatural woman and consequently guillotined in 1793

Charlotte Corday Supporter of monarchy Favored Girondins Stabbed Jean Paul Marat July 13, 1793 Sentenced to death July 17, 1793 Asked father for

6 Charlotte Corday Supporter of monarchy Favored Girondins Stabbed Jean Paul Marat July 13, 1793 Sentenced to death July 17, 1793 Asked father for forgiveness for having disposed of my existence without your permission Inspiration to French people who shared belief that Revolution was corrupted by Reign of Terror

7 Pop Quiz! What was most people s perception of women at the time of the French Revolution? How did women support the economy? What kind of rights were women fighting for during the French Revolution? What did Olympe de Gouges write? Why was Charlotte Corday sentenced to death?

Marianne Loir (1715 1769) Ten portraits identified Painted predominantly wealthy women Family of Parisian silversmiths Her brother, Alexis Loir, was

8 Marianne Loir ( ) Ten portraits identified Painted predominantly wealthy women Family of Parisian silversmiths Her brother, Alexis Loir, was also an artist (pastellist/sculptor) Trained by French painter Jean François de Troy May have spent time in Rome Elected to the Academy of Marseilles (1762)

Adelaide Labille Guiard (1749 1803) Contemporary and rumored rival of Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun Initially a miniaturist Later studied pastel and oil painting She taught in order to

9 Adelaide Labille Guiard ( ) Contemporary and rumored rival of Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun Initially a miniaturist Later studied pastel and oil painting She taught in order to make additional money Accepted into the Royal Academy of the Arts in 1783 Reviewers of the Salon de la Correspondance favored Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, much to Adelaide s frustration

a supporter of the Revolution Painted portraits of leaders such as Roubspeirre Active in attempts

10 Her works featured portraits of royalty and aristocrats E.g. Mme. Adelaide, daughter of Louis XV Sitters always dressed according to high fashion She was, however, a supporter of the Revolution Painted portraits of leaders such as Roubspeirre Active in attempts to reform the Academy Her proposal that acceptance of women should not be subject to quota met with criticism and resistance (1790)

11 Elizabeth Vigee Le Brun ( ) Daughter of a Portraitist, Loise Vigée Taught to draw by her father Specialized in portraiture, predominantly of European royalty and aristocrats She was close to Queen Marie Antoinette Her self portraits are modeled after famous works She portrayed herself in feminine roles as an unthreatening, loving mother

allegory Despite her royalist affiliation, her work received great acclaim at exhibitions 255 artists,

12 Accepted to the Royal Academy of Painting and sculpture in 1783 (on the same day as Adelaide Labille Guiard) Admitted by direct command of King Louis XVI with the honorable title: painter of historical allegory Despite her royalist affiliation, her work received great acclaim at exhibitions 255 artists, scientist, and writers successfully petitioned the new French authorities in favor of Elisabeth s return to France

13 Pop Quiz! Whose painting is this Who was the rival of Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun? Which artist portrayed herself in feminine roles as an unthreatening, loving mother? Who is this a self portrait of Which artist was initially a miniaturist who later focused on oil and pastel paintings?

Rococo. The Century of Louis XV

Rococo. The Century of Louis XV Rococo The Century of Louis XV 1700-1800 1 The Marquise de Pompadour became the mistress of Louis XV, king of France, in 1745. François Boucher painted this portrait, which hangs in the Louvre museum in