painting of the portrait of herself in a straw hat, where
she stands bathed in the sunlight, her palette in her hand. The
painting of the flesh of the pretty face is exquisite, and in spite of
intense finish is broadly conceived and rich and glowing in colour.
The clumsy drawing of the hand that holds the palette is the only
defect in this, one of her masterpieces. The picture has the added
interest of revealing to us how Vigee Le Brun set her palette. The
thing is thrilling with life; and the little feminine conceit of
wearing her black wrap is quaintly delightful.

Thenceforth her art has an added sense of style, a fuller statement of
atmosphere; in her handling of paint and employment of colour she was
soon to reach the very height of her achievement.

It was shortly after her return from this journey into Flanders that
Joseph Vernet decided to put down her name for election to the Royal
Academy. Her portrait of herself created such a sensation that her
election became assured. She had to paint the usual formal _tableau de
reception_, and chose Allegory, painting her "La Paix ramenant
l'Abondance," which, though a somewhat stilted affair such as Academies
demand, is full of charm--and is still to be seen at the Louvre. She
was received into the Academy on the last day of May in 1783 in her
twenty-eighth year, and thenceforward had the valuable privilege of the
right to show at the Salon.

Vigee Le Brun had not reached to such rapid and wide success, in spite
of all her charm and youth and the defence that chivalry should grant
to her sex, without setting jealous tongues wagging. The "Peace
bringing back Abundance" happened to be hung under a canvas by
Menageot, "The Birth of the Dauphin"; and comparisons between the two
pictures were aimed at creating a slander which there were only too
many ready to believe; for it was supported by certain facts which fell
into place, and took on a suspicious air when pointed to as supporting
evidence. This Menageot, who afterwards became Director of the Academy
at Rome, lived in the same house as Vigee Le Brun; and rumour soon got
agog to the effect that he was in the habit of painting, or at any rate
putting the finishing touches to, her work, Pierre, at this time first
painter to the king, had employed this slander in order to oppose her
election to the Academy; he was the leading spirit of a cabal against
her, as soon became known; for he was the victim soon afterward