Tuesday, 30 October 2012

Louise Abbéma (1853 - 1927), France: Artist

b. October 30th, 1853
d.  1927



Born in Estampe, at the age of 18 Louise received her first public recognition for her portrait of the actress Sarah Bernhardt - who was her lover at that time (see at left).

Louise went on to paint the portraits of many leading members of Society as well as murals in the Hotel de Ville and the Opera House in Paris.

Her work was exhibited in the Women's Building at the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

One of the exhibits was a bust that Sarah Bernhardt had sculpted of her. She wrote for the journals "L'Art" and "Gazette des Beaux-Arts".

Louise was made Official Painter of the Third Republic and in 1906 received the Legion d'Honneur.

Source: Matt and Andrej Koymasky Living Room - LGBT Biographies

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