Marie Bracquemond
Marie Bracquemond was a French artist who lived from 1840 to 1916. Along with Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot, Bracquemond is regarded as one of the three great women of Impressionism.
Bracquemond was born in Argenton-en-Landunvez in northwestern France. She endured a relatively difficult childhood. Her father passed away when she was very young. After her mother remarried, her family moved around for several years before settling just south of Paris. Though Bracquemond was mostly self-taught, her first formal art training was under the tutelage of the local artist, Augiste Vassor, who she apprenticed with to restore paintings. In 1857 at just age 17, Bracquemond submitted her first painting to the prestigious Paris Salon. It was accepted.
After the exposure from the Salon, Bracquemond studied briefly under Jean Ingres, a French Neoclassical artist. Soon afterwards, she was receiving commissions of her own. Bracquemond created original works but was also commissioned to make copies of masterpieces in the Louvre Museum. In 1867, while painting copies in the Louvre, Bracquemond met the painter and etcher, Félix Bracquemond. The two were quickly engaged. Two years later, in 1869, they were married. In 1870, Marie gave birth to their only child, Pierre, who was one of her greatest supporters. Once married, Félix taught his new wife the art of etching. Together, the Bracquemonds worked creating etchings for plates, panels, and the Society of Painter-Etchers. Soon, however, Marie felt that etching was too limited and desired to return to her paints.
Bracquemond was inspired by the Impressionism art movement that was spreading through France, Europe, and America. Soon, Bracquemond began mentoring under Claude Monet and Edgar Degas. From their influence, she began to paint larger, brighter canvases en plein air, which her husband thoroughly disapproved of. Bracquemond exhibited works at the Impressionism exhibitions in 1879, 1880, and 1886. Bracquemond’s husband was not fond of the Impressionism art style. Felix was very discouraging to Bracquemond about her art career. According to their son, Felix would not show Bracquemond’s work to visitors and disregarded any opinions or criticisms that she had regarding his work.
Bracquemond remained at home most of the time and painted most of her pieces within her home garden. Her most well-known pieces are of scenes outdoors. Although she painted en plein air, she composed sketches and studies of her work prior to painting the final version on the canvas. Bracquemond’s younger sister lived with her and despised the way Félix treated her sister. Unfortunately, due to the friction at home caused by her art, Bracquemond eventually quit art altogether in 1890, though she remained an avid Impressionism supporter. Her last painting was “The Artist’s Son and Sister in the Garden at Sèvres” from 1890. Marie Bracquemond died in 1916 at 75 years old.
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