Marguerite Gérard (28 January 1761 in

Grasse Grasse (; Provençal dialect, Provençal in classical norm or in Mistralian norm ; traditional ) is the only Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur Re ...

– 18 May 1837 in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

) .
Note that contrary to all other sources, the given death date is 1 January 1832, not 18 May 1837. was a French painter and printmaker working in the

Rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...

style. She was the daughter of Marie Gilette and

perfumer A perfumer is an expert on creating perfume compositions, sometimes referred to affectionately as a ''nose'' () due to their fine sense of smell and skill in producing olfactory compositions. The perfumer is effectively an artist who is trained i ...

Claude Gérard. At eight years old, she became the

sister-in-law A sibling-in-law is the spouse of one's sibling or the sibling of one’s spouse. More commonly, a sibling-in-law is referred to as a brother-in-law for a male sibling-in-law and a sister-in-law for a female sibling-in-law. Sibling-in-law al ...

Jean-Honoré Fragonard Jean-Honoré Fragonard (; 5 April 1732 (birth/baptism certificate) – 22 August 1806) was a French painter and printmaker whose late Rococo manner was distinguished by remarkable facility, exuberance, and hedonism. One of the most prolific art ...

, and when she was 14, she went to live with him. She was also the aunt of the artist

Alexandre-Évariste Fragonard Alexandre-Évariste Fragonard (26 October 1780 – 10 November 1850) was a French painter and sculptor in the troubadour style. He received his first training from his father and drew from him his piquant subjects and great facility, perfecting ...

. Gérard became Fragonard's pupil in the mid-1770s and studied painting, drawing and printmaking under his tutelage. Gérard and Fragonard created nine etchings in 1778. Historians currently believe Gérard was the sole artist of five of these etchings, since many have a duplicate created by her tutor Fragonard. More than 300 genre paintings, 80 portraits, and several miniatures have been documented to Gérard. One of her paintings, ''The Clemency of Napoleon'', was purchased by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

in 1808.

Biography

Upon the death of her mother in 1775, Marguerite Gérard, the youngest of the seven children, took up residence in the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...

with her sister and her sister's husband Jean-Honoré Fragonard. She lived in the Louvre with them for approximately thirty years, allowing her to view and be inspired by great artworks of the past and present. By 1785 she had established a reputation for being a gifted genre painter, the first French woman to do so. Of particular interest to Gérard were the

genre scenes Genre art is the pictorial representation in any of various media of scenes or events from everyday life, such as markets, domestic settings, interiors, parties, inn scenes, work, and street scenes. Such representations (also called genre works, ...

of the

Dutch Golden Age The Dutch Golden Age ( ) was a period in the history of the Netherlands which roughly lasted from 1588, when the Dutch Republic was established, to 1672, when the '' Rampjaar'' occurred. During this period, Dutch trade, scientific development ...

which she would emulate in her own work. She was denied membership to the

Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture The Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture (; ) was founded in 1648 in Paris, France. It was the premier art institution of France during the latter part of the Ancien Régime until it was abolished in 1793 during the French Revolution. I ...

due to its rules limiting the number of female artists to four at any one time. The academy denied women the free art training offered to men at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, or the right to compete for the prestigious

Prix de Rome The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...

. Despite these obstacles, she went on to exhibit widely, particularly following the French Revolution when the

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment that provides Cosmetics, cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, ...

was opened to women. Her work was exhibited in the Salon between 1799 and 1824 and she won a Prix du 5ème classe in 1799, a Prix d'encouragement in 1801 and a Medaille d'Or in 1804. Her association with Fragonard's circle allowed Gérard the freedom to remain unmarried without becoming a financial burden to herself and her parents; this allowed her to devote her life to becoming an artist, a career she continued with considerable commercial success for more than fifty years. Speculation that Gérard and Fragonard were lovers has been thoroughly disproved, and Gérard referred to the older artist as a father figure. After the death of Fragonard she continued to live with her sister for 17 years.

Art production

Gérard became interested in art while living with her sister,

Marie-Anne Fragonard Marie-Anne Fragonard, née Gérard, (1745–1823) was a French painter of portrait miniatures. Known for being the wife of the painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard Jean-Honoré Fragonard (; 5 April 1732 (birth/baptism certificate) – 22 Augus ...

, and brother-in-law,

, in Paris. She aspired to become an artist like her sister, a painter of miniatures, and her brother-in-law encouraged her ambitions. She began training with Fragonard at the age of 16. She became an unofficial apprentice of Jean-Honoré Fragonard, working from his drawings to create her first pieces of work; soon after, she began to create her own genre paintings. The depiction of everyday life closely resembles the style of

Gerard Ter Borch Gerard ter Borch (; December 1617 – 8 December 1681), also known as Gerard Terburg (), was a Dutch Golden Age painter mainly of genre subjects. He influenced his fellow Dutch painters Gabriel Metsu, Gerrit Dou, Eglon van der Neer and Johan ...

and

Gabriël Metsu Gabriël Metsu (1629–1667) was a Dutch painter of history paintings, still lifes, portraits, and genre works. He was "a highly eclectic artist, who did not adhere to a consistent style, technique, or one type of subject for long periods". Onl ...

, Dutch artists from the seventeenth century. Much like these Dutch artists, Gérard painted meticulous details using finely blended brushstrokes. Her unpretentious paintings represented the major underground current in the art of the early 1800s. Depicting the minor domestic dramas in the homes of the rich middle class, Marguerite Gérard not only paved the way for other women artists, but also men of the next generation, including her nephew Alexandre Evariste, to whom she tried to be what Fragonard had been to her. Marguerite Gerard Clemency of Napoleon

Subjects

As a genre artist, Gérard focused on portraying scenes of intimate domestic life. However, unlike other female painters who liked to refer to classical antiquity, Marguerite Gérard often used costumes and settings from a few centuries before her own. Domestic cats and dogs also show up repeatedly in Gérard's work. Many of her paintings illustrate the experience of motherhood and childhood within the home, and several emphasize the importance of music and female companionship. One of her more ambitious engravings, ''The Genius of Franklin'' (''Le Génie de Franklin''), depicts an allegorical scene of

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

and America personified as a woman. This engraving's subject matter helped introduce Gérard's work to a larger audience since prints could be produced easily. Gérard also painted at least thirty-five portraits of painters, actors, and patrons between 1787 and 1791.

Reception and recognition

Gérard was a well-known painter during her lifetime. LeBreton's official report of the state of French art published in 1808 states that by 1789, Gérard's reputation matched those of

Anne Vallayer-Coster Anne Vallayer-Coster (21 December 1744 – 28 February 1818) was a major 18th-century French painter best known for still lifes. She achieved fame and recognition very early in her career, being admitted to the Académie Royale de Peinture e ...

Adélaïde Labille-Guiard Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (; 11 April 1749 – 24 April 1803), also known as Adélaïde Labille-Guiard des Vertus, was a French Portrait miniature, miniaturist and portrait painter. She was an advocate for women to receive the same opportunities ...

and

Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...

. By 1785, she had established a reputation as a gifted genre painter, and was one of the first French women to do so. Her art was advertised with the phrase "sous les yeux de Fragonard" (under the eyes of Fragonard) to give her early work credibility. This has caused many art historians to overestimate Fragonard's role in her art. By her mid-20s, Gérard had developed her signature style, which featured painstakingly accurate details rendered with subtly blended brush strokes. It is currently accepted that Gérard made the five etchings in 1778 by herself based on Fragonard's drawings. After the Revolution, once the Salons began accepting art created by women, Gérard exhibited from 1799 to 1824. Despite her lack of formal training, she won three medals for her artwork. One of her paintings, ''The Clemency of Napoleon'', was purchased by Emperor

in 1808. Other patrons included

Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. Before his reign, he spent 23 y ...

and various members of the upper class. Wealthy collectors purchased her original paintings to display in their homes, while engravings of her paintings were spread among the middle class.

Principal exhibitions

Paris Salon The Salon (), or rarely Paris Salon (French: ''Salon de Paris'' ), beginning in 1667 was the official art exhibition of the in Paris. Between 1748 and 1890 it was arguably the greatest annual or biennial art event in the Western world. At the ...

: Salon of 1799: four paintings (winner of prix du 5ème classe) Salon of 1801: three paintings (winner of a prix d'encouragement for the painting deux jeunes époux lisant leur correspondence d'amour''')

Salon of 1802 The Salon of 1802 was an art exhibition held at the Louvre in Paris during the era of the French Consulate. It was held the same year as the Treaty of Amiens that ended the French Revolutionary Wars. Staged by the former Académie Royale it featur ...

: three paintings Salon of 1804: at least seven works (winner of a médaille d'or)

Salon of 1806 The Salon of 1806 was an art exhibition held at the Louvre in Paris. During the Napoleonic era the Salon was held biannually and featured paintings, sculptures and engravings. Military conquest was the theme of the exhibition, featuring numerous r ...

: three paintings Salon of 1808: three paintings

Salon of 1810 The Salon of 1810 was an art exhibition held at the Louvre in Paris, part of the series of Salon (Paris), Salons held to display paintings, sculptures and engravings. It opened on 5 November 1810 and lasted until April 1811. It was the penultimate ...

: four paintings

Salon of 1814 The Salon of 1814 was an art exhibition held at the Louvre in Paris from 5 November 1814. It was the first Salon to be held since the defeat of Napoleon and the Bourbon Restoration that brought Louis XVIII to the throne. It featured a mixture of ...

: seven paintings

Salon of 1817 Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (Pa ...

: three paintings Salon of 1822: four paintings

Salon of 1824 The Salon of 1824 was an art exhibition held at the Louvre in Paris between 25 August 1824 and 15 January 1825. It took place during the Second Bourbon Restoration, Restoration Era that followed the downfall of Napoleon's First French Empire, Fre ...

: two paintings

Recent exhibitions

''Parfums d'Interdit'', Musée Fragonard, 25 May 23 September 2018, Grasse ''Royalists to Romantics: Women Artists from the Louvre, Versailles, and Other French National Collections,''

National Museum of Women in the Arts The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA), located in Washington, D.C., is "the first museum in the world solely dedicated" to championing women through the arts. NMWA was incorporated in 1981 by Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay. Since openi ...

, 24 February to 29 July 2012, Washington D.C. ''Petits théâtres de l'intime'',

Musée des Augustins The Musée des Augustins de Toulouse () is a fine arts museum in Toulouse, France which conserves a collection of sculpture and paintings from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. The paintings are from throughout France, the sculptures rep ...

, 22 October 2011 to 22 January 2012, Toulouse ''Marguerite Gérard'',

Musée Cognacq-Jay The Musée Cognacq-Jay () is a museum located in the Hôtel Donon in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. The museum's collection was formed between 1900 and 1925 by Théodore-Ernest Cognacq and his wife Marie-Louise Jaÿ, founders of La Samarit ...

, 10 November to 6 December 2009, Paris ''Trois femmes peintres dans le siècle de Fragonard''. 18 April to 18 October 1998 Musée de la Parfumerie Fragonard, Grasse

Gallery

File:Marguerite Gérard - La Duchesse Abrantes et le General Junot.jpg, ''La duchesse d'Abrantès et le général Junot'' (''Duchess of Abrantès and General Junot''), oil on canvas, ca. 1800 File:Mme de Staël avec sa fille Albertine.png, '' Mme de Staël et sa fille Albertine'' (''Mme de Staël and her daughter Albertine''), oil on canvas, 1803–1808 File:Marguerite Gérard - Mutterschaft.jpg, ''La Maternité'' (''Motherhood''), oil on canvas, 51 x 61 cm, 1795–1800 File:Marguerite Gérard - Sleep my child.jpg, ''Dors, mon enfant'' (''Sleep my child''), oil on canvas, 55 x 45 cm, 1783–1786 File:Marguerite Gérard - Artist Painting a Portrait of a Musician - WGA8606 sharpened.jpg, ''Peintre faisant le portrait d'une joueuse de luth'' (''Painter when painting a portrait of a lute player''), 61 x 51.5 cm, before 1803 File:Marguerite Gérard - The first steps.jpg, ''First steps'', oil on canvas, 45.5 x 55 cm, ca. 1788 File:The Cat's Lunch.jpg, ''Le déjeuner du chat'' ("The Cat's Lunch"), oil on canvas, Musée Fragonard, Grasse, France File:Gérard, Marguerite and Fragonard, Jean-Honoré - Le chat angora -.jpg, ''Le chat angora'', oil on canvas, 1780, 65 x 53.5 cm File:Gérard et Fragonard - Quatre personnage dans un parc.jpg, ''The Song'', oil on canvas, 1785

References

External links

Marguerite Gerard's Cat PaintingsSalons et expositions des groupes 1673-1914
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gerard, Marguerite 1761 births 1837 deaths People from Grasse 18th-century French painters 19th-century French painters Sibling artists 18th-century French women painters 19th-century French women painters