e twenty thousand francs was spread abroad. The King
spoke of it as a joke to the Marquis of Cubieres, who fortunately had
been one of the guests and was able to convince His Majesty of the folly
of such a story. Nevertheless, the modest sum of twenty thousand at
Versailles became forty thousand at Rome; at Vienna the Baroness de
Strogonoff told me that I had spent sixty thousand francs for my Greek
supper; you know that at Petersburg the price at length was fixed at
eighty thousand francs, and the truth is that it cost me about fifteen
francs!"

Early in 1789, when the warnings of the horrors about to take place began
to be heard, Mme. Le Brun went to Italy. In each city that she visited
she was received with great kindness and many honors were shown her. In
Florence she was invited to paint her own portrait, to be hung in that
part of the Uffizi set apart for the portraits of famous painters. Later
she sent the well-known portrait, near that of Angelica Kauffman. It is
interesting to read Goethe's comparison of the two portraits.

Speaking of Angelica's first, he writes: "It has a truer tone in the
coloring, the position is more pleasing, and the whole exhibits more
correct taste and a higher spirit in art. But the work of Le Brun shows
more careful execution, has more vigor in the drawing, and more delicate
touches. It, has, moreover, a clear though somewhat exaggerated coloring.
The Frenchwoman understands the art of adornment--the headdress, the
hair, the folds of lace on the bosom, all are arranged with care and, as
one might say, _con amore_. The piquant, handsome face, with its lively
expression, its parted lips disclosing a row of pearly teeth, presents
itself to the beholder's gaze as if coquettishly challenging his
admiration, while the hand holds the pencil as in the act of drawing.

"The picture of Angelica, with head gently inclined and a soft,
intellectual melancholy pervading the countenance, evinces higher genius,
even if, in point of artistic skill, the preference should be given to
the other."

Mme. Le Brun found Rome delightful and declared that if she could forget
France she should be the happiest of women. She writes of her fellow
artist: "I have been to see Angelica Kauffman, whom I greatly desired to
know. I found her very interesting, apart from her fine talent, on
account of her mind and her general culture.... She has talked much with
me during the two evenings I have passed at her house. H