Elena Rossi
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard was a French miniaturist and portrait painter who was active in the late 18th century. She was born in Paris in 1749 and began her artistic training at the age of fourteen. Over the course of her career, she mastered a variety of mediums, including miniature painting, pastels, and oil painting. She exhibited her work at the Académie de Saint-Luc and the Salon de la Correspondance, and she was one of the first women to become a member of the Royal Academy. While the exact number of paintings she created is unknown, she exhibited roughly fifty paintings at the Salon, including self-portraits and portraits of royalty and other prominent figures. She also created history paintings and is known for her intricate details of elaborate clothing, furniture, and architecture.
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What You'll Learn
Training and early work
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (1749-1803) was a French miniaturist and portrait painter. She was born in Paris, the daughter of a shopkeeper. Little is known about her training, as 18th-century practices dictated that masters, who were predominantly male, should not take on female pupils. However, it is known that she studied miniature painting with oil painter François-Élie Vincent during her adolescence. Her early work was exhibited at the Académie de Saint-Luc, and she was admitted to the Académie in 1767 when she was twenty years old. She apprenticed with the pastel master Quentin de la Tour until 1774. From 1776 to 1780, she studied oil painting with her childhood friend François-André Vincent, who later became her husband.
During the late 1770s, Labille-Guiard painted several portraits of leading academicians, creating contacts with the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture. She displayed her work at the Salon de la Correspondance in 1779 and 1783, including self-portraits in pastel and oil portraits, which were well-received by critics. She also exhibited at the Salon every other year from 1783 to 1791, contributing to the final exhibition of 1791, which was open to all. In 1783, her submissions included an actor in the role of King Lear and a head of Cleopatra, indicating her interest in historical subjects. Pastels figured among her contributions in fairly large numbers. Of the roughly fifty paintings she showed, a dozen were portraits of academicians, including two self-portraits.
In 1785, she painted her famous Self-Portrait with Two Pupils, Marie-Gabrielle Capet and Marie Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond. This lifesize, full-length portrait of a modern woman seated before her easel teaching younger women to paint by her example is a bold statement of her intention to increase female enrolment in the academy. In 1787, she became peintre des mesdames, painting Madame Adélaïde and Madame Victoire, aunts of Louis XVI. The portrait of Adélaïde, completed in 1787, was one of Labille-Guiard's largest and most ambitious works to that date. She was later commissioned by the King's brother, the Count of Provence (later Louis XVIII of France), to paint him at the centre of a large historical work, Réception d'un chevalier de Saint-Lazare par Monsieur, Grand maître de l'ordre.
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Acceptance into the Royal Academy
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard was a French miniaturist and portrait painter, born in Paris in 1749. She was an advocate for women to receive the same opportunities as men to become great painters and worked towards reforming the Academy's policies toward women. She was one of the first women to become a member of the Royal Academy and the first female artist to receive permission to set up a studio for her students at the Louvre.
Labille-Guiard's talent as an oil painter and pastellist was quickly recognised, and she received national recognition. She was admitted to the Académie de Saint-Luc in 1767 when she was twenty years old. Her early work was exhibited at the Académie de Saint-Luc. In 1774, she exhibited her work at its Salon. This show was so successful that the Royal Academy took offence and issued an edict abolishing "guilds, brotherhoods, and communities of arts and crafts", forcing the Académie de Saint-Luc to close its doors in 1777.
However, this setback did not stop Labille-Guiard's artistic ambitions. She began to learn oil painting so she could apply to the Royal Academy, which required her to present at least one oil painting for admission. During the late 1770s, she painted several portraits of leading academicians, creating contacts with the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture. She displayed her work at the Salon de la Correspondance in 1779 and 1783, including her self-portrait in pastel and oil portraits, which were well-received by critics.
On 31 May 1783, Adélaïde Labille-Guiard was accepted as a member of the French Academie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture, along with her rival, Elisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun. They were the first women to be inducted, bringing the number of female members to its limit of four. Labille-Guiard and Vigée Le Brun were criticised following their admission by those who were against women's entry into the Academy. Despite this opposition, Labille-Guiard's acceptance into the Royal Academy opened doors for her, as she gained patronage from the royal family, including Princess Marie Adélaïde, the aunt of Louis XVI of France, and his sister Elizabeth. She was awarded the title 'Peintre des Mesdames' (painter to the king's aunts), a government pension of 1,000 livres, and an apartment at the Louvre.
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Royal patronage
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, born in Paris in 1749, was a celebrated female artist in 18th-century France. She was a miniaturist and portrait painter, who advocated for women to receive the same opportunities as men in the field of painting. Labille-Guiard was one of the first women to become a member of the Royal Academy and gained significant royal patronage throughout her career.
In 1783, Labille-Guiard was accepted as a member of the French Academie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture, now known as the Royal Academy. Her admission was not without controversy, as she faced criticism and attacks on her character and art. However, becoming a member of the Royal Academy opened doors for her, as she gained patronage from the royal family.
Labille-Guiard's royal patrons included Princess Marie Adélaïde, the aunt of King Louis XVI of France, and her sister, Victoria Louise. She also painted the King's sister, Elizabeth, and received a government pension of 1,000 livres. In 1787, she was named peintre des mesdames, or the official painter to the king's aunts, which led her to create some of her most ambitious works, including portraits of Madame Adélaïde and Madame Victoire. She also received commissions from the King's brother, the Count of Provence, who later became King Louis XVIII.
Labille-Guiard's talent and skill in portraiture were recognised by the royal family, and her work contributed to her legacy as a prominent female artist in 18th-century France. Despite facing societal barriers and restrictions due to her gender, she successfully navigated the art world and gained the patronage and support of influential figures. Her royal patronage not only provided her with opportunities to showcase her talent but also helped advance her career and establish her reputation as a skilled and respected artist.
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Self-Portrait with Two Pupils
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, born in Paris in 1749, was a French miniaturist and portrait painter. She was an advocate for women to have the same opportunities as men in the field of painting. She was one of the first women to become a member of the Royal Academy and was the first female artist to receive permission to set up a studio for her students at the Louvre. She was also an experienced teacher of aspiring young women artists.
'Self-Portrait with Two Pupils' is a Rococo oil-on-canvas painting by Labille-Guiard, created in 1785. It is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The painting is a life-size, full-length portrait of a modern woman seated before her easel, teaching two younger women to paint by her example. The two pupils are Marie-Gabrielle Capet and Marie-Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond. Capet was one of the most talented students and Labille-Guiard's favourite. She lived with the artist even after Labille-Guiard married her first teacher's son, the painter François-André Vincent.
The painting illustrates Labille-Guiard's mastery of colour and portraiture, with the three women's faces standing out against a dark background, symbolising their aspirations and contributions to art. The attire of the pupils, dressed in simpler garments, contrasts with Labille-Guiard's refined appearance, showcasing her elevated status in the art world. The arrangement of the students' heads also demonstrates her skill in presenting the interplay of light between their faces.
'Self-Portrait with Two Pupils' is a significant work in Labille-Guiard's oeuvre. It symbolises the advancement of female artists at a time when such opportunities were rare, demonstrating her commitment to education and the empowerment of women in a male-dominated field. The painting also served as a self-affirmation of her skill and success, representing a step forward for women in the arts and challenging societal norms that restricted female participation in education and professional artistic practices.
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Later works and legacy
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (1749–1803) was a celebrated female artist in 18th-century France. She was a master of miniatures, pastels, and oil paintings. Her work was sought out by diverse figures, from the aunts of Louis XVI to the future American president Thomas Jefferson.
In 1783, Labille-Guiard was accepted as a member of the French Academie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture, along with her rival, Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun. They were the first women to be inducted. Labille-Guiard suffered attacks on her character and art, with one pamphlet accusing her of exchanging sexual favours for help with her paintings. However, she gained support from members of the royal family and became peintre des mesdames, painting Madame Adélaïde and Madame Victoire, aunts of Louis XVI, in 1787. This was one of her largest and most ambitious works to date. She also painted the King's sister, Elizabeth, and received a government pension of 1,000 livres.
In 1788, she was commissioned by the King's brother, the Count of Provence (later Louis XVIII of France), to paint him at the centre of a large historical work, 'Réception d'un chevalier de Saint-Lazare par Monsieur, Grand maître de l'ordre'. Labille-Guiard continued to exhibit her work regularly, every other year from 1783 through 1791, until the start of the French Revolution. She supported the French Revolution and remained in Paris during this tumultuous era, winning new patrons and creating portraits of several deputies of the National Assembly.
Labille-Guiard was a lifelong champion of women's rights and worked towards reforming the Academy's policies towards women. She was an advocate for women to receive the same opportunities as men to become great painters and was an experienced teacher of aspiring young women artists. She was the first female artist to receive permission to set up a studio for her students at the Louvre. She understood the value of the Salon for her career advancement and exhibited her work there. Her most important work is considered to be her 'Self-Portrait with Two Pupils' (1785), a bold statement of her intention to increase the number of female students enrolled and promote their standing within the academy.
Today, Labille-Guiard's paintings can be found in many of the world's most famous museums, including the J. Paul Getty Museum, which holds one of her finest works, the 1779 pastel 'Delightful Surprise'.
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Frequently asked questions
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard created around 50 paintings during her career.
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard's most famous artwork is her self-portrait "Self-Portrait with Two Pupils, Marie Gabrielle Capet and Marie Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond", created in 1785.
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard was known for her portraiture, particularly her intricate details of clothing, furniture, and architecture. She also created miniature portraits and worked with pastels and oils.
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard was active as an artist from the 1760s until her death in 1803. She was a celebrated female artist in 18th-century France.
Yes, Adélaïde Labille-Guiard had several patrons, including members of the royal family such as Princess Marie Adélaïde, her sister Victoria Louise, and the King's sister Elizabeth. She also had support from other aristocrats and cultivated acquaintances among academicians.
