Portrait of a Woman

"Born in Paris in 1749, Adâelaèide Labille-Guiard rose from shopkeeper's daughter to an official portraitist of the royal court, only to have her achievements reduced to ash by the French Revolution. While she defied societal barriers to become a member of the exclusive Acadâemie Royale and a mentor for other ambitious women painters, she left behind few writings, and her legacy was long overshadowed by celebrated portraitist and memoirist âElisabeth Vigâee-Lebrun. ... In this ... biography, Bridget Quinn applies her insightful interpretation of art history to Labille-Guiard's life. She offers a ... new perspective on the artist's feminism, her sexuality, and her vision of the world"--