Elisabeth Vigee Lebrun's Humanization of Marie Attionette - Research Paper Example

Le Brun is the Queen’s confidant ii. Le Brun attempted to save Marie Antoinette from guillotine through propaganda letters and portraits IV. Marie Antoinette’s Portraits by Le Brun: “An Average Woman” i. Marie Antoinette en chemise ii. Marie Antoinette and Her Children V. Conclusion Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun's Humanization of Marie Antoinette Introduction Eighteenth Century Europe is no place for a woman. Ranging from ruling the household to ruling the state, men had become beings of ultimate idealism that it overshadowed the importance of women.

In a time and space where men are kings, it is notable to recognize two women who made their mark in history and found intimacy in friendship despite the disparity of their social status. It was art why the painter Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun and the French monarch Marie Antoinette established a close relationship and saw each other not according to their social roles, but women who have equal needs and challenges, in that male-dominant society they have to endure; especially for Elisabeth’s part, she humanized Marie Antoinette through the portraits she made for her and the genuine friendship she had established with her.

Le Brun and Marie Antoinette: Meeting of Two Worlds Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun came from a humble family of artists, and having inherited her father’s talent, she embarked a road less traveled by women in her time: painting. Being unique and creative in her style, she was initially rejected by the artists’ community. It was not until 1776 when she finally had her opportunity of becoming a full-fledged artist, when she was summoned to make a portrait of the then Queen of France, Marie Antoinette (Bietoletti 76).

Although Le Brun noted that she was intimidated by the queen, she was able to diminish this feeling through Marie Antoinette’s grace and kindness towards her, perhaps because “they were [of] the same age” (Rafter). On the other hand is a French monarch who was known of her stylish, beautiful and admirable countenance, Queen Marie Antoinette. Tracing back to her roots, she was basically a foreigner and her marriage with Louis XVI was part of a peace-making strategy of her native land Austria and its eternal rival, France.

However, the purpose was not fulfilled to its fullest, and instead of reconciling the two nations, the Queen always had an awkward situation with the rest of the French royal family and developed “tensions and suspicions” among them (Goodman 4). In Marie Antoinette’s tumultuary political life and social stature, she became at least an ordinary woman, with the help of her official portraitist Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun. Imprisoned by the standards of a typical French monarch, Le Brun released her from the bars by seeing through her more than that of the King’s wife, but first of all, a mother and a woman, just like her.

Le Brun’s Friendship to Marie Antoinette As stated previously, Le Brun and Marie Antoinette crossed each other’s path when the painter was ordered to paint the French queen. On that day, they were able to establish a relaxed emotional connection which soon became a close