Elizabeth Vigee-Lebrun

born 1755, died 1842

One of the most prolific and popular artists of her day, Elizabeth 
Vigee-Lebrun served as portraitist to Marie-Antoinette, a close
friend. She was much sought after by the aristocracy of France for
her portrait work. As a Royalist, she fled France at the outset of 
the revolution. She lived in exile for twelve years, and finally
returned to France under the rule of Napoleon. While travelling
around Europe in exile, she became a member of the Academies of
Rome, Florence, Bologna, St. Petersburg, and Berlin. Her body of work
includes over 600 portraits, including a self portrait, 200 landscape
sketches, and 15 large compositions.