Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755-1842) was a leading portraitist of 18th-century French aristocracy, famed for her elegant depictions of Marie Antoinette and other prominent figures. Her Rococo and Neoclassical style captured both likeness and personality with refined beauty.
During the Festival at Unspunnen, Vigée Le Brun stayed with Franz Niklaus König, a genre painter whose work influenced her depictions of the participants in the festival. Wishing to reciprocate his kindness, she recalled: “The only expression of gratitude I was able to get Mr. and Mrs. König to accept was my portrait in oil, which I sent to them from Paris.” The artist presents herself in a straightforward manner, head tight to the frame, gazing outward.
