Portrait of a Woman with author Bridget Quinn and Vanessa Hua

Bridget Quinn is joined by fellow author Vanessa Hua to discuss her latest book, Portrait of a Woman. Set in the mid-1700's Paris, Quinn brings a compelling and inspiring look at the career of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, an accomplished artist who rose from shop-keeper's daughter to an official portraitist of the royal court––only to have her achievements reduced to ash by the French Revolution. While she defied societal barriers to become a member of the exclusive Académie Royale and a mentor for other ambitious women painters, she left behind few writings, and her legacy was long overshadowed by celebrated portraitist and memoirist Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun.

Adélaïde Labille-Guiard's story lives on. In this engaging biography, Bridget Quinn applies her insightful interpretation of art history to Labille-Guiard's life. Bridget Set in the mid-1700's Paris, Quinn brings a compelling and inspiring look at the career of French artist Born in Paris in 1749, Adélaïde Labille-Guiard rose from shop-keeper's daughter to an official portraitist of the royal court––only to have her achievements reduced to ash by the French Revolution. While she defied societal barriers to become a member of the exclusive Académie Royale and a mentor for other ambitious women painters, she left behind few writings, and her legacy was long overshadowed by celebrated portraitist and memoirist Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun. But Adélaïde Labille-Guiard's story lives on. In this engaging biography, Bridget Quinn applies her insightful interpretation of art history to Labille-Guiard's life. Born in Paris in 1749, rose from shop-keeper's daughter to an official portraitist of the royal court––only to have her achievements reduced to ash by the French Revolution. While she defied societal barriers to become a member of the exclusive Académie Royale and a mentor for other ambitious women painters, she left behind few writings, and her legacy was long overshadowed by celebrated portraitist and memoirist Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun. But Adélaïde Labille-Guiard's story lives on. In this engaging biography, Bridget Quinn applies her insightful interpretation of art history to Labille-Guiard's life. This is a compelling and inspiring look at an artist too long overlooked.

Bridget Quinn is a Bay-Area author, art historian and educator; this is her third book. Vanessa Hua is a journalist and author of three books.

Host or Publisher Orinda Books