DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61284#0104
40
VIGEE-LEBRUN
being a picture-dealer, she was ruled out by a clause in the statutes
of the Academy which declared that no member must be engaged
in trade. It is true that she herself was not a dealer, but it might with
some show of reason be held that a wife must be a partner of her husband
in more than the merely conjugal sense.
The other weapon employed was the accusation that her best pictures
were touched up by Francois Menageot. This most amiable historical-
painter, who had a flat in the Lebruns’ house, was always a friend of hers,
and gave her plenty of advice—which, on the evidence of her work, we may
suppose that she did not take. The story of his helping her was little
heard again after the public had the opportunity of seeing both his work
and hers hung on the same wall at the Salon. In any case, she was
admitted as a member of the Academy on the last day of May, 1783. Iq
recording this fact, she says : “ M. Pierre spread about that I was elected
by order of the Court. I believe that, as a matter of fact, the King and
Queen had been good enough to wish to see me enter the Academy, but
that is all.” It is “ all ” that Madame Lebrun chooses to remember. Let
us see what actually happened, as shown in the original documents bearing
on the part taken by the King and Queen, which are textually reproduced
in M. de Nolhac’s account of the business.
The Comte d’Angiviller, who held the comprehensive position of
“ Director-General of Royal Buildings, Gardens, Manufactures and Acade-
mies,” was several times consulted by Marie Antoinette as to the chances
of her favourite painter being admitted to the Academy. At last, the
Queen having shown the strongest interest in the matter, M. d’Angiviller
took anxious thought, and proceeded to draw up the following ingenious
statement for presentation to the King :
“ In the statutes given by Louis XIV to the Academy of Painting,
it is forbidden to every artist to deal in pictures, either directly or indirectly.
This regulation has been confirmed by Your Majesty in the clearest manner ;
it is of the highest importance to maintain a law which contributes to the
glory of the arts and, what is still more important, sustains them in a
country where they are so useful and so necessary for commerce with
foreign countries.
“ Madame Lebrun, the wife of a picture-dealer, has very great talent,
and would certainly have been an Academician long ago but for her
husband’s business. It is said, and I believe truly, that she has nothing
VIGEE-LEBRUN
being a picture-dealer, she was ruled out by a clause in the statutes
of the Academy which declared that no member must be engaged
in trade. It is true that she herself was not a dealer, but it might with
some show of reason be held that a wife must be a partner of her husband
in more than the merely conjugal sense.
The other weapon employed was the accusation that her best pictures
were touched up by Francois Menageot. This most amiable historical-
painter, who had a flat in the Lebruns’ house, was always a friend of hers,
and gave her plenty of advice—which, on the evidence of her work, we may
suppose that she did not take. The story of his helping her was little
heard again after the public had the opportunity of seeing both his work
and hers hung on the same wall at the Salon. In any case, she was
admitted as a member of the Academy on the last day of May, 1783. Iq
recording this fact, she says : “ M. Pierre spread about that I was elected
by order of the Court. I believe that, as a matter of fact, the King and
Queen had been good enough to wish to see me enter the Academy, but
that is all.” It is “ all ” that Madame Lebrun chooses to remember. Let
us see what actually happened, as shown in the original documents bearing
on the part taken by the King and Queen, which are textually reproduced
in M. de Nolhac’s account of the business.
The Comte d’Angiviller, who held the comprehensive position of
“ Director-General of Royal Buildings, Gardens, Manufactures and Acade-
mies,” was several times consulted by Marie Antoinette as to the chances
of her favourite painter being admitted to the Academy. At last, the
Queen having shown the strongest interest in the matter, M. d’Angiviller
took anxious thought, and proceeded to draw up the following ingenious
statement for presentation to the King :
“ In the statutes given by Louis XIV to the Academy of Painting,
it is forbidden to every artist to deal in pictures, either directly or indirectly.
This regulation has been confirmed by Your Majesty in the clearest manner ;
it is of the highest importance to maintain a law which contributes to the
glory of the arts and, what is still more important, sustains them in a
country where they are so useful and so necessary for commerce with
foreign countries.
“ Madame Lebrun, the wife of a picture-dealer, has very great talent,
and would certainly have been an Academician long ago but for her
husband’s business. It is said, and I believe truly, that she has nothing