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Lot Essay
Pauline Auzou, née Desmarquest-La Chapelle, first came to notice as a pupil in one of Henri-Alexandre Georges Regnault's three studios. Accepted into his third school reserved entirely for women, Auzou's fellow students were largely occasional artists, well-to-do young ladies learning a valued social skill. Auzou received both the acclaim of her peers and of her fellow students: Madame Clément Hémery noted in Souvenirs de 1793 et 1794 that Auzou waas an 'artiste distinguée que rien ne pouvait distraire de ses études; ses tableaux, mentionnés honorablement dans toutes les expositions, suffisent à sa gloire' (Madame Clément-Hémery, op. cit., 1832, p. 10).
Pauline Auzou's work was diverse, and as early as 1795 she had submitted two portraits to the Salon, together with a painting of 'Daphnis and Philis' (Salon, 1795, nos. 9, 10, and 11). She continued to exhibit historical subjects and portraits as well as genre interiors, depicting young women in idle pursuits (see, for example, 'Le premier sentiment de la coquetterie', Salon, 1804, no. 8). In 1808 Joachim Le Breton wrote in Rapport sur les Beaux Arts, 'Aux expositions de 1796 et de 1806 ... Mm. Auzou savait s'elever aux idées et à la noble expression du style historique'.
Her paintings were acquired in her lifetime by the State, the Societée des Amis d'arts, and the Duchesse of Berry. Today they can be found in numerous French museums (see Musée National du Château de Versailles, Arrivée à Compiègne de l'archiduchesse Marie-Louise d'Autriche, 28 Mars 1810, Inv. no. 2371). A signed portrait of 1809, depicting an unknown musician, is in the Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, NH.
Pauline Auzou's work was diverse, and as early as 1795 she had submitted two portraits to the Salon, together with a painting of 'Daphnis and Philis' (Salon, 1795, nos. 9, 10, and 11). She continued to exhibit historical subjects and portraits as well as genre interiors, depicting young women in idle pursuits (see, for example, 'Le premier sentiment de la coquetterie', Salon, 1804, no. 8). In 1808 Joachim Le Breton wrote in Rapport sur les Beaux Arts, 'Aux expositions de 1796 et de 1806 ... Mm. Auzou savait s'elever aux idées et à la noble expression du style historique'.
Her paintings were acquired in her lifetime by the State, the Societée des Amis d'arts, and the Duchesse of Berry. Today they can be found in numerous French museums (see Musée National du Château de Versailles, Arrivée à Compiègne de l'archiduchesse Marie-Louise d'Autriche, 28 Mars 1810, Inv. no. 2371). A signed portrait of 1809, depicting an unknown musician, is in the Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, NH.