Elisabeth Vigee LeBrun lead a life of political intrigue and privilege. She met and mingled closely with royalty achieving the status of court painter to Marie Antoinette. Throughout her career, she would paint more than thirty paintings of the last queen of France and her family. The French Revolution interrupted her stellar reputation and career … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards with Elisabeth Vigee LeBrun: Painter to the Stars and Royalty
Dancing Backwards in High Heels Part Two in Portugal with Josefa de Obidos
Born in Spain, this 17th century artist, Josefa de Obidos, was one of the most successful and revered women in the field of art during her lifetime of 1630-1684. She was proficient in many mediums but mostly famous for her still life and religious themed oil paintings. Like several of the women I have researched for this project, Obidos never … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards in High Heels Part Two in Portugal with Josefa de Obidos
Dancing Backwards in High Heels Part Two; Cliff Notes Version of Color Sleuthing
Many of you have asked about the pigments used by the featured women artists in Part Two of Dancing Backwards, More Lessons from Fred and Ginger. This is where my Mad Scientist Pigment Nerd Self gets itchy. For decades now, I have been delving into the historical materials and techniques side of painting. This is as interesting as the actual … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards in High Heels Part Two; Cliff Notes Version of Color Sleuthing
Michaelina Wautier; Dancing Backwards Part Two, More Lessons from Fred and Ginger
This story will either make you rejoice or infuriate you, or maybe both. The rejoicing comes from knowing that a truly masterful woman artist has been rediscovered. The infuriating starts when you realize there was maybe willful lying by historians who suppressed the life and art of Michaelina Wautier for reasons we will never really know. But we … [Read more...] about Michaelina Wautier; Dancing Backwards Part Two, More Lessons from Fred and Ginger
Sofonisba Anguissola; Dancing to Deh Fussi La Cui Meco Backwards in High Heels
Sofonisba’s pearls swayed with the rhythm of the dance while the movement of her satin dress made little crackling sounds. The guests sat awe-struck in the opulent drawing room of the villa in Cremona, windows wide open offering relief from the heat of the fire. The pairing of Sofonisba the dancer and Maddalena Casulana the lutenist accentuated the … [Read more...] about Sofonisba Anguissola; Dancing to Deh Fussi La Cui Meco Backwards in High Heels
Berthe Morisot; Painting Plein Air Backwards in High Heels
Berthe Morisot was one of the lucky ones. She had both parental backing to pursue her artistic talent and a substantial inheritance from her father. Born in 1841 in Bourges, France, Berthe began art classes at age 16 at the encouragement of her family. Her rebellious independent nature was sustained by the money left to her by her … [Read more...] about Berthe Morisot; Painting Plein Air Backwards in High Heels