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ART. I-Souvenirs de Madame Louise- their society, her frankness, her ingenuous
Elizabeth Vigée Lebrun. (Recollections simplicity, would convince us of her veraci-
of Madame Lebrun.) 3 Vols. Paris. H.
Fournier, Jeune, 1836.

In our last number we had the pleasure of rescuing some French memoirs from the sweeping anathema of our contemporaries, and we now return to the task with considerable satisfaction. Madame Vigée Lebrun, who writes her own history, is still alive, and one of the most delightful old ladies that France produces; she has passed her 80th year, but preserves her faculties in the most surprising manner, gathers her circle around her, and, to use the words of one of our mutual friends, "she is still gifted with all the qualities of her youth; her conversation is rendered still more interesting from having read and seen a great deal, and she is one of the happiest specimens of those good times, when grace, affability, and polished manners were appreciated in society." For our own parts, we hail the appearance of the memoirs before us as likely to afford the most agreeable mixture of truth and vivacity, and we hope to instil the same feelings into our readers as we proceed. They are partly addressed to the Princess Kourakin, having been begun at her request, and, after her death, continued in the form of a narrative. The style is lively and elegant, and impresses us with the idea that it flows from the pen of an animated, amiable, and refined woman; and, did we not ourselves know that she lived in close intimacy with the distinguished persons whom she describes, not only because she painted their portraits, but because she was admitted into

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ty. Moreover, the anecdotes she relates are so well known among the remnants of the circle in which she lived, that any exaggeration or falsehood would be immediately detected. Another great charm in these memoirs lies in their being eminently feminine and wholly without pretension, thereby proving, what we have often had occasion to remark, that real talent never pretends. The first of her time as a portrait painter, bewitchingly beautiful, gifted with a lovely voice and musical powers, well read in all that concerned her art, flattered, admired, and followed, this celebrated woman has preserved an excellent reputation; and, surrounded in all the countries which she visited by every thing that could spoil her, she seems not to have had one spark of coquetry, or for one instant to have laid aside her original nature. Her alarms, her disgusts, her dislikes, are all those of a woman who has preserved all her simplicity of character, and at the same time do not betray a single error on the side of flippancey, vulgarity, or conceit.

Some are of opinion that the minute details of biography partake of egotism, and that the more elevated parts of life alone ought to be recorded. From this we beg leave to differ, for it is in little things that we can assimilate others to ourselves it is in these that many who are capable of greatness yet want a lesson; they form the human part of us, they form our daily intercourse with our fellow beings, and it is chiefly in them that the affections lie heroes and heroines may be admired and

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plauded, but it does not at all follow that I mistaken, for, although the retired jeweller they must be loved; and we are convinced was a man of substance, he was dreadfully that the perusal of these little workings of avaricious, and deprived his family of althe human heart does us more good than that of a splendid action which we may never be called upon to perform. We, therefore, do not quarrel with Madame Leburn for all her minutiæ, and we wish that others would follow her example, and lay their hearts bare before us.

most every enjoyment; he not only took possession of the money earned by his stepdaughter, but wore all the clothes left by his predecessor, and, as Madame Lebrun innocently says, " he did not even get them altered, to fit him, and it increased her disgust towards him."

The maiden name of our author before This must have been a season of great us was Vigée; at six years of age she was temptation for her, for she was not only plaeed in a convent, and did not quit it until sought for on account of her talents as an she was eleven; during this period she gave artist, but for the charms of her conversaproof of her prevailing talent, for she filled tion; and several noblemen sat to her for the margins of her own and her companions' their portraits for the pleasure of being in copy-books with heads, and was often pu- her company; but, to use her own expresnished for drawing them on the walls of the sion, she painted à regards perdus;" her sleeping-room with a piece of charcoal. At mother always by her side, and her exceleight years of age she drew the head of an lent precepts, and the devotion which she old man with a long beard on paper, which felt for her art, enabled her to resist the seshe took home to her father, who, struck ductions which the most brilliant men of the with the talent it displayed, exclaimed, court offered to her, and the acceptance of "You will be a painter, my child, or there which would place her out of the reach of never will be another." M. Vigée himself one who made her domestic life miserable. painted in crayons and in oils, in the style Among the celebrites who then frequented of Watteau, and to him belongs the anecdote her atelier was Count Orloff, one of the which we have seen ascribed to others, assassins of Peter III. of Russia, whom she namely, that, when he was painting a lady's describes as a colossal person, who wore an portrait, and came to her mouth, she screw- equally colossal diamond upon his finger, ed it into all sorts of shapes to make it look and not at all prepossessing; but the great smaller, on which he said, "Do not trouble chamberlain Schouvaloff, the favorite of the yourself, madam; for, if you please, I will empress Elizabeth, was remarkably polite not make any mouth at all." From her and pleasing. She was also noticed by mamother Madame Lebrun received the most dame Geoffrin, who was celebrated for gapious instruction, which fortified her mind, thering round her all the wits of the age, and produced the most excellent result in and, who, without birth or fortune, contriafter life; she was never suffered to read ved to make a living by the charms of her romances till after she married, when the conversation. The favorite promenade in first was Clarissa Harlowe, which made a those days was the garden of the Palais great impression on her and, while her Royal, which was then of considerable exmother thus formed her character, her fa- tent, and the best of company in France asther improved her tastes and talents by his sembled in its long and wide avenue of beauown lessons, and the society of all the artists tiful trees. The Opera was close by, and and writers of merit who were then living. was over at half past eight, when the garHis tenderness and affection seem never to den became full of fashionable ladies carryhave been effaced from his daughter's mind, ing enormous bouquets in their hands, and although he died from swallowing a fish-wearing perfumed powder. Madame Lebone, when she was only thirteen years old. brun's description of these walks, and the Her best consolation under this heavy loss company present, is so lively, that we could was that of assiduously studying the profes- almost fancy that we see them parading in sion for which he and nature had destined their stately dresses. Many of them were her. She, always accompanied by her mo- soon cut off by the hand of the executioner, ther, constantly painted at the Palais Royal, among whom were Philippe-Egalité himfrom those pictures which are now in the self, and the Marquis de Genlis, who used possession of the Duke of Cleveland; but to amuse themselves with scandalizing every she very soon began to paint for money, in woman who passed by, and whose remark order to add to her mother's slender income, upon herself Madame Lebrun recalls with and to provide for the expenses of her bro- pride; the duke exclaimed loud enough to ther's education. At last her mother marri-be heard by every body near, "As to her ed again, hoping thereby to improve the there is nothing to be said." circumstances of her children; but she was But the attraction of his wife, who was

still very handsome, and the singular beau- [ use of time, but in a few minutes she found ty of the daughter, seemed to disturb the herself swinging, and even more amused peace of the jeweller, and he, to the great than the others; it was therefore high time joy of the latter, one day pompously pro- to give up her pupils. The emolument claimed that he had taken a country house arising from them became less desirable for them, where they could walk in peace. ever day, as she could not satisfy all those It, however, proved to be a miserable dwell-who desired to have their portraits painted ing at Chaillon, where the poor young by her; and both her pencil and her converthing would have died from ennui, but for sation were in request by all that was brilthe kindness of some friends, who took her liant in the most brilliant court in the world. with them on their excursions of pleasure; Her works of this period convey an idea some of which she describes, and especially of the splendid materials which aided the that to Marly-le-Roi, which was so utterly toilette, but she adhered as little as possible destroyed during the early fury of the Re- to the fashions of the times, which was devolution. A return to Paris was at length testable for artists. She persuaded some lahailed with pleasure, where the young ar- dies to leave off powder, and having suctist was enchanted to resume all her labors, ceeded in tempting the beautiful Duchess de and where she became gradually admitted Grammont-Cadrousse to take out her's, and, into the first society in Paris, her talents after sitting, to go to the opera with her hair being deemed a sufficient reason for setting falling in curls over her shoulders in a picaside the strict forms and stiffness which at-turesque manner, the fashion gradually tend the life of a single woman in France, spread, and the high toupees and bushes of who has any pretension to bon ton. At this frizzled hair from that moment declined. In time she painted two pictures from engrav-drapery also Madame Lebrun tried to effect ings, the one of Cardinal Fleury, and the other of La Bruyère, both of which she presented to the French Academy, and in return received a free admission to all its public meetings. This also led to a visit from the celebrated D'Alembert, whom she describes as "un petit homme, sec et froid, mais d'une politesse exquise."

The husband of Madame Lebrun was a dealer in pictures, and first paid his court to the young lady by lending her all the most valuable works which passed through his hands, in order to make copies of them, and for which she naturally felt grateful. He was supposed to be very rich, and, although almost every friend she had tried to dissuade her in the strongest terms, her mother urged his suit so earnestly, that prompted by affection for her, and the hope of escaping from her odious step father, she at last yielded her hand to him. The marriage was not a happy one, for they had few feelings in common. Madame Lebrun loved her profession for its own sake, but her husband as a matter of gain; and, as he was extravagant, he not only spent all his own profits, but those which arose from the portraits painted by his wife. He was not contented even with these, but he insisted on her taking pupils, almost all of whom proved to be older than herself.

He had arranged a garret for their reception, but it was not likely, with her youth and vivacity, that she should have much authority over them; as a proof, she one day entered after they were all assembled, and found them swinging by turns, in a swing which they had fastened to a beam. At first she looked grave, and expostulated on the mis

some improvement, and, taking Raffaelle and Domenichino for her models, she arranged large scarfs in loose folds about the neck, which were a great contrast to the reigning fashion. The graceful costume worn by the ambassadors from Tippoo Saib having struck her, she tried to get them to sit to her, but did not succeed, till the king had asked them to do so, and she went to their residence, to perform her task. This led to an invitation to herself and friend, on the part of their excellencies, to dinner, and curiosity prompted the ladies to accept it. They were served on the floor, and the ambassadors dipped their hands into every dish in order to convey their contents to the plates of their guests who were very glad when the entertainment was concluded.

We have heard much of a portrait painted at this time by Madame Lebrun of Marie Antoinette, and whom in fact she painted several times; and as the description of a skilful artist may be relied on, we copy her own words, and they doubtless convey a just idea of this unfortunate queen.

'It was in the year 1779, that I painted for the first time the portrait of the queen, then in the flower of youth and beauty. Marie Antoinette was tall, exquisitely well much' so. made, sufficiently plump without being too Her arms were superb, her hands small, perfect in form, and her feet charming. Her gait was more graceful than that of any woman in France: she held her head very erect, with a majesty which enabled you to distinguish the sovereign amidst all her court, and yet that majesty did not in the least detract from

the extreme kindness and benevolence of admitted to the Academy of Painting and her look. In short, it is extremely difficult Sculpture, which was founded by Louis XIV. to convey to any one who has not seen the This Academy was not, in the beginning, inqueen any idea of all the graces and all the tended to admit females, but two had already dignity that were combined in her. Her features were not regular; she derived crept in, Mesdames Vien and Valleyer, and, from her family that long, narrow oval with these two precedents, M. Vernet insisted peculiar to the Austrian nation. Her eyes on procuring this mark of honor for Mawere not large, their color was nearly dame Lebrun. M. Pierre, the president opblue, and they had an intellectual and posed it, from the feeling that he was bound mild expression; her nose was thin and to observe the statutes of the institution, and handsome; her mouth not too large, it became a matter of difficulty and cabal.— though the lips were rather thick. But the most remarkable thing about her face Madame Lebrun, however, succeeded, and was the brilliancy of her complexion. I by so doing added to her celebrity. Her never saw any so brilliant-yes, brilliant presentation picture was, "Peace bringing is the word,-for her skin was só transpa- back Abundance," and her reputation for alrent that it took no shade. Hence I never legorical representation placed her nearly on could render its effect so as to please my- a level with historical painters. In the preself; I lacked colors to represent that sent day, all are at liberty to exhibit those freshness, those delicate tones, which belonged exclusively to that fascinating chosen from the academy, as in this country; works which have been approved by a jury face, and which I never observed in any other woman. As for her and the academy has also undergone a conversation, it would be difficult for me change. It now forms a part of the great to describe all its grace, all its benevolence. national institute, is thereby increased in imI do not think that queen Marie Antoinette portance;-its members are also members ever missed an occasion to say an agree- of the institute, and it can no longer be assiable thing to those who had the honour to milated to the simple academies of other naapproach her. During the tions, which confer diplomas on all distinfirst sitting that I had of her majesty, on her return from Fontainebleau, I ventured guished strangers who visit the places in to remark to the queen how much the which they exist, and of which Madame Leerectness of her head heightened the dig-brun herself received a great many during nity of her look. She answered in a her travels. tone of pleasantry, 'If I were not a queen, This was, perhaps, the most brilliant part people would say that I have an insolent of our autobiographer's life; at any rate at look-would they not?" that portion which she passed in her own country. The high price which was given for her portraits, and the extensive business of her husband in buying and selling pictures, enabled her to throw her house hibited at the Louvre. This picture was then open in the evening, and, to use her removed to Versailles, and placed in one of those who had distinguished themselves in own words, "the high nobility of either sex, the great rooms through which the queen science, art, or literature, foreigners of rank passed going to and from mass. After the death of the dauphin, her majesty could not where M. Lebrun placed his pictures, and and celebrity, all frequented the saloon see it without weeping, and consequently or- where she held her soirées; and this room, dered it to be placed elsewhere, not howe- although large was so often crowded. that, ver without informing Madame Lebrun of for want of seats, the men would sit on the the reason for doing so. This probably floor; and so it happened that the Marshal saved it from the fury of the mob, in their de Noailles, who was fat and unwieldy, hamemorable visit to Versailles, where they ving adopted this plan, created much mirth even cut the queen's bed to pieces, and we by the difficulty he found in getting up believe that it is still preserved.

Several portraits of the queen were followed by others of the royal family, and one of the former, in which were the dauphin and the Duc de Normandie, was afterward ex

again." A friend of ours writes that, when 1788, he was present at the supper which he gained the great prize of the academy in she had always given, since her admission,

Madame Lebrun made a journey into Flanders with her husband, where she painted a well-known portrait of herself, in the manner of the " Chapeau de Paille;" and this, and her other works, decided M. Joseph at this entertainment he met M. de Vauto the students about to start for Rome, and Vernet to propose her as a member of the dreuil, one of the greatest ornaments of the Royal Academy. It was a very desirable

thing for artists in those days to exhibit their court of Louis XVI,, and most of the society works in the great saloon of the Louvre, but spoken of by Madame Lebrun in her memoirs. The celebrated composers Gréty, in order to do so they must first have been Sacchini, and Martini performed parts of

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their new operas in her saloon before they dressing ourselves all à la Grecque, in orappeared on the stage; the first singers also, der to surprise M. de Vaudreuil and M. both public and private, joined Madame Le Boutin, who, I knew, would not arrive bebrun in executing the best music; Viotti fore ten o'clock. My painting-room, full of everything requisite for draping my with his exquisite violin, Jarnovich, Maestrimodels, would furnish abundance of garno, Prince Henry of Prussia, Hulmandel ments; and the Count de Barois, who and Cramer, were among the instrumental lodged in my house, rue de Clêry, had a performers, and nothing could be more rc-superb collection of Etruscan vases. cherche than these meetings. A select few came home that day at four o'clock prewere detained to supper, where the Abbé cisely. I communicated my scheme to de Lille, the Virgil of France, and Lebrun, him, and he brought me a quantity of goblets and vases, from which I made a selecthe Pindar, talked and recited their verses. tion. I cleaned all these articles myself, The simplicity of the repast proved that it and placed them on a mahogany table, was not for the sake of eating and drinking laid without cloth. This done, I placed that the party had assembled; poultry, fish, behind the chairs an immense skreen, one dish of cooked vegetables, and one of sa- which I took care to disguise by covering lad, formed the whole, and round these in-it with a drapery, in the same manner as significant viands was to be found the most brilliant society in the world. These suppers have been continued, or perhaps we should rather say,revived, in France, under the name of tea, which is generally served between ten and eleven. With it, wine, cakes, pastry, sweet meats, and fruit, are set out; a few, chosen from the more numerous soirée, sit down and form the most charming coterie round the table; occasionally the selection is so numerous as to require a double row of chairs, when the nearest hand the refreshments to those behind them; servants are banished; conversation is animated, unreserved and gay; no one tries to outshine his neighbor; jealousies and rivalries seem to be dormant; and, when such men as ornament the fasti of science mingle without restraint in the passing scene, and only bring their genius to bear upon the enjoyment of the social hour, the recollection of such evenings must last for ever. The mind is refreshed by them; we feel better, wiser, more charitable, after mingling with the noblest of human kind; and, while we find society a relaxation from the tasks of life, we have enjoyed it to our improvement. But we must return to Madame Lebrun, and describe one of her which was very suppers, celebrated, and afterwards hasten to another part of her life.

suspended lamp threw a strong light on the we see in some of Poussin's pictures. A table. At length every thing was prepared, as well as my costumes, when the daughter of Joseph Vernet, the charming Madame Chalgrin, was the first who arrived. I immediately dressed her, and arranged her head-dress. Next came Madame de Bonneuil, so remarkable for her beauty; Madame Vigée, my sister-in-law, who, without being so handsome, had the finest eye in the world, and forthwith all three were metamorphosed into genuine Athenians. Lebrun entered; his powder was taken out, his curls straitened, and I placed upon his head a crown of laurels, with which I had just painted young Prince pened to have an ample purple mantle, Henri Lubomirski. Count de Barois hapwhich served me for the drapery of my poet, whom I turned in the twinkling of an eye into a Pindar-an Anacreon. Then came the Marquis de Cubières. While a messenger went to his house to fetch a guitar which he had had fitted up as a gilded lyre, I dressed him, and also M. de Rivière (my sister-in-law's brother), Guingené, and Chaudet the celebrated sculptor. The hour approached; I had little time to think of myself, but as I always wore a white dress in the form of a tunic, it was sufficient for me put on a crown of flowers, and to throw a veil over my head. I bestowed my particular care on my daughter, a charming girl, and Mademoiselle de Bonneuil, who was beautiful as an angel. Both were enchanting to "One evening, when I had invited behold, holding a very light antique twelve or fifteen persons to come and hear vase, and ready to serve us with drink. a recitation of the poet Lebrun's, my At half-past nine the preparations were brother read to me a few pages of the finished, and when we had all taken our Travels of Anacharsis. When he came seats, the effect of that table was so novel, to the passage where, in describing a so picturesque, that each of us rose in turn Greek dinner, the author explains the man-to take a look at those who remained seatner of making several sauces, 'You ought,' said he, to let us taste some of these this evening.' I immediately called upon my cook, gave her very precise instructions, and we agreed that she should make a certain sauce for the fowls, and another for the eels. As I expected some very handsome women, I conceived the idea of

ed. At ten o'clock we heard the carriage enter with Count de Vaudreuil and M. Boutin; and when those gentlemen came to the entrance of the dining-room, the folding-doors of which I had directed to be set open, they found us singing Glück's chorus, Le Dieu de Paphos et de Gnide, which M. de Cubières accompanied with

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