I'm Kind of in Love

Yes, you did read that title correctly, but no, this is not a Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch sort of moment. Though the object of my affections is indeed a woman, things could never work out between us, seeing as she died in 1842 and spoke no English. Yes, that's right, I refer to Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, the most famous female painter of the 18th century.

I love her work, and have done so for many years. I wouldn't say I'm her biggest fan (because I'm not an art expert, and I haven't memorized every detail of her life), but I think that we would have gotten along rather well, had we ever met and overcome the language barrier (I'll forgive her for marrying someone else, she can't be blamed for never meeting me). The reason for this sense of shared sensibilities is that Elisabeth (I've decided that she and I are on first-name terms), more than any other painter I've ever seen, paints women as they are, not as most men want to see them. 

While I'm not an artist (a few young efforts are on the walls of my family's house, should you want proof), and I lack training as an art historian or critic (though I have seen a lot of Sister Wendy videos), I have been to quite a few museums over the years, from a very young age. This means that, yes, I have been exposed to a wide range of artworks, over a large period of time, and that, roughly speaking, I know what I like and what I dislike. 


[side note: I have the Sister Wendy video running in another tab, and she is cracking me up. I used to watch these videos as a child (not voluntarily, I believe our parents made us kids sit and watch), writhing on the floor in alternating laughter and agony. Watch it, you'll get a glimpse into my childhood.]

Elisabeth's work is what I like, and that's the reason that, in May, I purchased a print of one of her self-portraits at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth. The Kimbell is one of my favorite museums, small, but without a single bad or mediocre work. And while a number of Elisabeth's paintings have caught my eye over the years, this one took my breath away.

I wonder if I can add her on facebook?

Now that I'm moving into a new house, I'm setting about decorating my room. This is an important thing for me, every place I've lived has been filled with paintings and posters I love. My mom brought this one with her when she flew to Chicago two weeks ago to visit me, and I placed it upright on a dresser for the time being. 

Before that point, I had abstained from decorating, not wanting to fill my wall space before I had all available pieces. In the two weeks of living in this basement apartment before that, I had been pleased with my accommodations, but not truly comfortable, not quite at home. 

A couple of days ago, out came the adhesives and up went some paintings. The only other two up right now are also portraits of women - a madonna and child by Rafael from the Norton Simon, and a charming piece by Grueze called La Simplicite. 

No, this is not by Elisabeth, but I do like it still.

In the time since, I have truly felt happier in my room. When I wake up, I remember that I have these prints on my wall, and I feel happy. I love Elisabeth's work because she paints herself as a beautiful, 26-year-old woman here, to be appreciated for who she is, not as the court-painter of Marie Antoinette, not to be valued for her prestigious position. Most male painters of women are kind of weird to me - I put them on roughly the same footing as male gynecologists. When you look at Rubens' work, with his fleshy nudes, you get the feeling that he was a bit of a creep. With Elisabeth, you get the feeling that she was a woman of character and strength, who was willing to go against the current of her times. 

Her, I like.