Julie Le Brun (1780–1819) Looking in a Mirror
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
28 3/4 × 23 3/8 in. (73 × 59.4 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2019
Accession Number
2019.141.23
Tags
Art Historical Context
In 1787, renowned French portraitist Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le captured an intimate moment with her young daughter, Julie (1780–1819), in this oil-on-canvas gem, *Julie Le Brun Looking in a Mirror*. Measuring 28¾ × 23⅜ inches, the painting exemplifies Vigée Le Brun's mastery of Rococo elegance transitioning toward Neoclassicism, with its soft lighting, delicate brushwork, and luminous skin tones that bring the subject's curiosity to life. The mirror motif adds a layer of introspection, reflecting both literal and symbolic self-awareness in a child's gaze. As one of the era's few successful wo...