Marie Bracquemond—A Cautionary Tale on Picking the Wrong Husband
by Lisa Michaux, Tastemaker in Residence
Marie Bracquemond, Under the Lamp, 1877
A Cautionary Tale on Picking the Wrong Husband. Now let’s examine the role of a supportive and encouraging partner in the life of Impressionist artist Marie Bracquemond
Marie Bracquemond, Self Portrait, 1870 (Rouen)
In the19th century, female artists were often slowed down by the inability to study at prestigious art academies or by social constructs like the belief that women should stop their careers once married. One would imagine that by marrying a fellow artist, an aspiring female painter would increase her chances of success. But that was not the case for Marie Quirivon Bracquemond (1840-1916).
Marie did not come from a wealthy or important family with connections in the art world, but she did have talent. This was apparent from a young age and one of her paintings was accepted to the prestigious French Salon when she was only 16 years old!
One day while she was copying paintings in the Louvre—a job she earned from her Salon success—she met the dashing artist Félix Bracquemond. They married in 1869 and at first, it was a compassionate love story with two artists bonding over their craft and working together in the studio.
Marie Bracquemond, Pierre Bracquemond as a Child, 1878
Marie soon joined the ranks of working mothers and struggled to fit her painting career into the demands of running a household and caring for her young son Pierre. Félix quickly revealed himself to be self-absorbed and domineering and became verbally abusive to his wife in regards to her artistic techniques and goals.
Marie Bracquemond, Afternoon Tea, 1880 (Petit Palais, Paris)
And yet, Marie carried on and found inspiration in the light-filled and atmospheric paintings of Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. She moved from the studio to paint outdoors and loved the challenge of capturing the effects of sunlight on diaphanous white dresses.
Marie Bracquemond, On the Terrace at Sèvres (the Terrace of the Villa Brancas), 1880 (Petit Palais, Geneva)
Marie exhibited with the Impressionists in 1879, 1880, and in 1886. Her works were well received by the critics, but not by her husband. Félix did not approve of Impressionist techniques and was argumentative and authoritarian in voicing his opinions. Eventually, the constant criticism and the nightmarish situation this created at home caused Marie to quit painting altogether.
Marie Bracquemond presents a cautionary tale of the talented artist overshadowed by the demands of her partner. Her story also illustrates the importance of a supportive and encouraging family in the pursuit of creative success.
For more on Bracquemond and her Impressionist colleagues Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot, click below for Lisa Michaux’s recent lecture from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
https://spiritedtable.com/blog/2020/3/17/the-women-of-impressionism-by-lisa-michaux