To Love Him, Or To Love Him Not?

Jean-Baptiste Pierre Le Brun, Self-Portrait, 1795, oil on canvas.

     In 1776, Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun married the accomplished art dealer Jean-Baptiste Pierre Le Brun. However, this was a decision that Vigée Le Brun did not make easily. In her own writings, she stated: "I felt so little inclined to sacrifice my liberty that on the way to the church I was still debating myself."

     Jean-Baptiste Pierre Le Brun was both an art connoisseur and artist. He had a vast artistic network, including involvement with the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture. Vigée Le Brun wished to enter the Académie, but they rarely accepted female artists. Marrying Jean-Baptiste created yet another barrier for Vigée Le Brun. She was prohibited from the Académie because of their romantic relationship. The Académie claimed that they did not want to cause any disputes over whether she was initiated because of her talent or her husband's influence, so they decided it was best to not admit her at all.