A R T

Allegory of Painting (details) François Boucher, 1765

Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky

Russian, 1839-1915

“Goddess of Water on a shell-chariot”

Anne Vallayer-Coster was born on the 21st of December, 1744 in France. At the of twenty six, she submitted two of her still life paintings to the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture. At the time, still lifes were considered to be at the bottom of the hierarchal ladder, the creating of them was usually given to women. However, her art was very well received and she was unanimously accepted, making her one of only four women accepted into the Académie prior to the French Revolution. She exhibited her first floral still lifes in 1775 and became known as a painter of flowers. Her career took off, and several years later she even began to enjoy the patronage of Marie Antionette. However, she lost most of her support form the monarchy and other nobility in the Reign of Terror, but still continued to produce art works. She died in 1818, having created over 120 still lifes.

The painting above is called the Attributes of Painting, Sculpting and Architecture, and was completed in 1769.

Portrait de la comédienne Marie-Anne de Châteauneuf by Nicolas de Largillierre, 1712 (detail)

Jan van Huysum,Vase of Flowers,1722. (Detail)

“Lady Beauchamp-Proctor” (1778) (detail) by Benjamin West (1738-1820).

“Portrait of Monsieur de Lavoisier and his Wife (Marie-Anne Pierrette Paulze)” (1788) (detail) by Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825).

“Portrait of Monsieur de Lavoisier and his Wife (Marie-Anne Pierrette Paulze)” (1788) (detail) by Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825).