The Memoirs of Madame Vigee Lebrun Part 13

From that day to this I have travelled no more. After my return from Bordeaux I resumed my daily habits and my work, which of all distractions I have always found the best. Although having had the misfortune to lose so many dear ones, I did not remain forsaken. I have mentioned Mme. de Riviere, my niece, who, through her affection and her ministrations, is the blessing of my life. I must also speak of my other niece, Eugenia Lebrun, now Mme. Tripier Le Franc. Her studies at first prevented me from seeing her as often as I should have liked to, for since her earliest youth her disposition, her mental qualities, and her great gift for painting had promised to be a joy to me. I took pleasure in guiding her, in lavis.h.i.+ng my counsels upon her, and in watching her progress. I am well rewarded to-day, when she has realised all my hopes by her lovely character and her very remarkable talent for painting. She has followed the same course as myself in the adoption of portrait painting, and is earning success merited by fine colouring, by great sincerity, and, particularly, by perfect resemblance. Still young, she can but add to a reputation which in her diffidence and modesty she has scarcely ventured to foresee. Mme. Tripier Le Franc and Mme. de Riviere have become my daughters. They bring back all of a mother's feelings to me, and their tender devotion spreads a beautiful charm over my existence.

It is among these two dear creatures and the friends who have been spared me that I hope to end peacefully a wandering and even a laborious but honest life.

THE END

APPENDIX

LIST OF MME. VIGeE LEBRUN'S PAINTINGS

[This list is as complete and accurate as the material available for its compilation allowed. The auth.o.r.ess's own catalogue of her works, which necessarily formed the princ.i.p.al source of information, is itself conspicuous for errors and omissions. To rectify all of these beyond doubt and make an absolutely perfect list would have been impossible.]

FROM 1768 TO 1772

1 Mme. Lebrun's mother, large pastel.

1 The same, back view.

2 Mme. Lebrun's brother as a schoolboy.

1 M. Le Sevre.

3 M., Mme. and Mlle. Bandelaire.

1 M. Bandelaire, half-length pastel.

1 M. Vandergust.

1 Mlle. Pigale, milliner to the Queen.

1 Her clerk.

1 Mme. Lebrun's mother in white cloak.

1 Mme. Raffeneau.

1 Baroness d'Esthal.

2 Her two children.

1 Mme. d'Aguesseau with her dog.

1 Mme. Suzanne.

1 Countess de la Vieuville.

1 M. Mousat.

1 Mlle. Mousat.

1 Mlle. Lespare.

2 Mme. de Fossy and her son.

2 Viscount and Viscountess de la Blache.

1 Mlle. Dorion.

1 M. Tranchart.

1 Marquis de Choiseul.

1 Count de Zanicourt.

Studies of heads and copies from Raphael, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, etc.

1773

1 M. and Mme. de Roissy.

1 M. de la Fontaine.

1 Count Du Barry.

5 Count de Geoffre.

1 Marshal de Stainville.

3 Mme. de Bonneuil.

1 Mme. de Saint-Pays.

1 Mme. Paris.

1 M. Perrin.

2 Copy of Marquis de Verac.

1 An American lady.

1 Mme. Thilorie, half-length.

1 Copy of the same.

1 Mme. Tetare.

1 Copy of the Bishop of Beauvais.

1 M. de Vismes.

1 M. Pernon.

1 Mlle. Dupet.i.toire.

1 Mlle. Baillot.

1774

1 Abbe Giroux.

1 Little Roissy.

1 Copy of Chancellor d'Aguesseau.

1 Copy of M. de la Marche.

1 Mme. Damerval.

1 Count de Brie.

1 Mme. Maingat.

1 Baroness de Lande.

1 Mme. Le Normand.

1 Mme. de la Grange.

1 M. Meraut.

1 Viscount de Boisjelin.

1 M. de Saint-Malo.

1 M. Desmarets.

1 Countess d'Harcourt.

2 Mlle. de Saint-Brie and Mlle. de Sence.

1 Countess de Gontault.

1 Mlle. Robin.

1 M. de Borelly.

1 M. de Momanville.

2 The Rossignol sisters.

1 Mme. de Belgarde.

1775