Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun. Self-Portrait (1791). National Trust, Ickworth House, UK. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
By Nina Heyn – Your Culture Scout
When we think of the French upper classes just before the French Revolution, what comes to mind are those impossible panniered gowns, powdered wigs, rouged cheeks, and ostrich feathers. Which is indeed what the aristocrats of the time were wearing, but the winds of change were already blowing, at least in fashion and social ideas. Thanks to Jean-Jacques Rousseau and other social thinkers, the need for less artifice in life started to penetrate the upper echelons of French society. Rousseau advocated being closer to nature and rearing one’s young in a different way than the cold turkey approach of keeping children in faraway nurseries and convents, and having newborns fed by country nursemaids.
Hi, Nina.
I can’t find The Truffle Hunters documentary on Netflix or Amazon. You recommended it in your Feb 26, 2021 column. Please tell me where I can watch it. Thank you.
Bill
Wow! A delightful story of a remarkable life with absolutely beautiful works of portraiture. Thank you for sharing!
Lovely- the story and the works are truly “Food for the soul”
Thank you for this post!
Wow!! Fabulous & fascinating commentary, thank you Nina & Catherine.
(I will have to check out her memoirs.) An incredible life & work.
Ann
I just discovered this two part series docudrama on the life of this artist. I haven’t watched it completely but a quick review of the first few minutes, it looks captivating! Bringing this story to life.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6gjaxv (Part 1)
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6gjaxu (Part 2)