“You will…” Jeanne hesitated. “You will never be their father.”
Lisette moved down the stairs and around the corner so that she could see what was happening. She knew she was risking being spotted, but she wanted to be able to help her mother if the need arose.
Before Lisette could see anything, she heard Le Sèvre brutally strike Jeanne.
As soon as Lisette peeked into the room, she saw Le Sèvre shove her mother down to the floor like a disobedient dog. Mother! she screamed inside her head. Her mother slumped down to the floor and remained there while Le Sèvre continued to bark at her.
“You are my wife and you will not disrespect me,” he said. Lisette desperately wanted to run to her mother, but she knew it would only worsen the situation for both of them.
“I will not discuss this further, Jeanne. I do not need to consult you on anything that concerns this family. I will not say this again − I make the decisions for you, Etienne and that willful daughter of yours,” Le Sèvre said and strode out of the room.
Quickly, Lisette stepped back around the corner and up the stairs to her bedroom. Once she was safely behind her bedroom’s locked door, the ugly incident replayed over and over in her head. She took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. It didn’t help. Lisette couldn’t catch her breath.
Chapter Fifteen
February 18, 1773
It was Thursday and Lisette knew that Le Sèvre would be leaving the house well before the noon hour. She had been tracking Le Sèvre’s comings and goings, taking notice of the patterns. With Le Sèvre gone, Lisette would have time to see Le Brun this morning. A week had passed since she had seen him last. Le Brun had said that a private collector was interested in her allegory paintings. They should have sold by now, Lisette hoped. She was out of time.
Lisette heard Le Sèvre hollering at a servant in the front vestibule. She looked down at her papa’s pocket watch. Right on schedule, Lisette thought. She opened her bedroom door just enough to better hear what was going on downstairs. Le Sèvre was snarling orders at Camille, the chambermaid. After a brief exchange, she heard the heavy front door close. To be sure he was truly gone, Lisette waited a few extra minutes before leaving the house.
On foot, Lisette headed straight for Le Brun’s shop. Surely they’ve sold, she thought. If Le Brun can fetch 1100 livres like he claimed, I can easily replenish my provisions. She calculated in her head how many vials of pigment powder and how many canvases 770 livres would purchase. She could buy herself the highest quality supplies, even the most costly pigments, and still have plenty of money left over.
Lisette was so distracted tallying up the cost of her new supplies that she ran headfirst into a man. When they collided, the case he was carrying fell to the ground. Lisette managed to stay on her feet. Clad in a black gown and wig of white curled and powdered hair, Lisette recognized the man as a lawyer. He had been screeching at a defendant…or plaintiff…Lisette could not distinguish between the two, who had been walking several paces behind him, unable to keep up with the fast-moving advocate.
“Stupid girl! Watch where you are walking!” The lawyer picked up his case, turned to his companion and rushed off.
Lisette set off again too. She had been walking down the Rue Saint Denis, where the street neared the Pont du Change and the Île de la Cité. This area teemed with lawyers, especially in the middle of the day. It must be nearing noon, she thought.
She watched as all of the lawyers scurried toward the Châtelet and the other courts. Even though it had been entirely rebuilt by Louis XIV, the Châtelet retained its imposing castle-like appearance. Besides housing the criminal courts, it also held a police headquarters and several prisons. She had heard tales of prisoners languishing in the underground dungeons of the Châtelet. Lisette hurried past the ominous building.
When Lisette entered Le Brun’s, it felt empty. Monsieur Faucher had not immediately emerged to greet her. She walked back toward the curtain that divided the front area from the more private back space of the shop.
“Monsieur Le Brun?” Lisette called out.
She was about to turn and go, when she heard a woman giggling. Then she heard someone try to shush the woman. It sounded like a man was with her. Le Brun, she thought.
“Monsieur Le Brun, I’m not leaving until you come out and talk to me.” Lisette was determined.
She heard the woman snigger again just before Le Brun appeared. He was unkempt with his linen chemise partially hanging out of his silk culottes. His hair fell loosely onto his shoulders. It was not pulled back and tied at the nape of his neck with a black ribbon as usual. Lisette wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw a faint hint of red rouge smeared on his face. It looked like he might have tried to rub it off with the palm of his hand. Lisette knew that only noblewomen and wealthy merchants’ wives wore rouge of that deep red color.
“What do you want? I am a very busy man,” Le Brun said earnestly.
Lisette heard a faint giggle from behind the curtain again.
Le Brun maintained a serious face.
“Have my paintings sold?” Lisette asked him.
“No. Now good day.” Le Brun turned away from her.
Lisette quickly spoke again, “But it has been a week. You said to come back in a week.”
Le Brun spun around to face her. Lisette suspected that he didn’t like being proven wrong. “They will sell, I’m sure of it. But I don’t know when.”
“Then can you advance me a portion of the sales proceeds?” Lisette asked him.
Le Brun immediately replied, “I can’t give you an advance. That is not the way I conduct business.” He turned again to go.
Lisette didn’t want to give up that easily. She had learned in her interactions with Le Brun that everything was negotiable.
“What about a partial advance?”
“Good day, Mademoiselle Vigée. I have urgent business that requires my attention.” He started back toward the curtain.
As he parted the heavy drape, he turned to Lisette and said, “In the meantime, remember what I said before − bring me portraits. They sell quickly, faster than allegories.”
Lisette watched as a woman’s hands pulled him into the back. The muffled giggling resumed.
Part of Lisette had a mind to march behind the curtain and haggle with him some more. If he would agree to a small advance, anything really, she could buy her own supplies. But Lisette knew the woman’s laughter meant that Le Brun wasn’t going to re-emerge and give her any money today. He was otherwise occupied.
Why didn’t they sell? Lisette wondered. She had been so sure that her allegories would have sold already. She slumped her shoulders and hung her head low. Lisette couldn’t believe she was once again leaving Le Brun’s empty-handed.
She reluctantly walked out of the shop. Not sure of her next steps, she stood outside Le Brun’s for a good while. She watched the passersby. The swiftly moving carriages and harried pedestrians seemed out of place to her. Her world had just come to a halt. Lisette had no urgent business. There were no buyers for her finished paintings and she couldn’t complete the paintings she had begun. Lisette had no supplies and no way of buying more.
Then another thought occurred to her. Even if she had the money to buy new canvases, Lisette was unsure of how she could hide her paintings, especially while they dried. Le Sèvre routinely came into her room unannounced. Her allegories required several days for the many layers of paint to dry. Lisette realized that she had not thoroughly considered this plan. She needed to go home and think, but she dreaded the idea of going back to Le Sèvre’s house and to her empty room.
Lisette remembered Le Brun’s advice: Bring me portraits. They sell quickly. His words reverberated in her head.
Lisette decided not to dismiss Le Brun’s idea. The Duchesse de Chartres’ sitting was less than two weeks away. Maybe portraits were the key to moving forward.
Chapter Sixteen
March 3, 1773
"You are quit
e the storyteller, Mademoiselle Vigée,” the Duchesse de Chartres complimented Lisette.
“The most amusing part of the incident was that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t return his wig to its original position. With every readjustment, it looked worse!” Lisette said.
The Duchesse tossed her head back and laughed out loud at Lisette’s story of the Duc de Choiseul. Lisette had seen this man, who was normally a fixture at Versailles, promenading in the Tuileries last week. She had been privy to an extremely embarrassing incident involving high winds, a loose wig and a very self-conscious, bald-headed Duc.
“Please, Duchesse, try to keep your head and face still,” Lisette said.
“Then I beg you to stop entertaining me with your wit,” the Duchesse responded.
Lisette noticed that she was suppressing a smile.
“I promise,” Lisette said warmly. Much to her surprise, Lisette had been enjoying their time together. She had dreaded the portrait session for many reasons, not the least of which was the Duchesse’s earlier ill-treatment of Lisette.
After the Duchesse’s haughty behavior in their previous encounters, Lisette had anticipated the session to be excruciatingly difficult to endure. But as the afternoon wore on, Lisette found the Duchesse to be charming, with an enchanting face to match. The Duchesse had also graciously forgiven Lisette for missing their first sitting.
All through today’s session, they had found more to discuss than Lisette would have imagined. From the latest play on the Boulevard du Temple to Rousseau’s novel, there had not been a single lull in their conversation. Lisette had to admit that she was enjoying herself.
Lisette focused on the Duchesse’s facial features. The Duchesse’s large, dark blue eyes and pale pink cheeks offset her prominent aquiline nose. Lisette painted her chestnut brown hair in loose curls that fell to her shoulders. She preferred the natural look over the formal poufs that had become so popular. She was surprised that the Duchesse had agreed to have her hair portrayed in such an informal fashion, but Lisette had flattered her by saying that her shiny brown hair complimented her pale violet and white striped satin gown.
After Lisette had completed the Duchesse's head, she moved to her neck and bust. The Duchesse had removed her fichu, exposing the milky-white skin of her chest and neck. Her small bust protruded out of her deep neckline just above a narrow, violet bow. Lisette decided to include the bow in the painting at the bottom edge of the portrait.
“We are nearly done for today, Duchesse,” Lisette told her.
The Duchesse gave a slight nod of her head.
They sat in silence while Lisette finished. As Lisette looked down at her dwindling provisions, she was glad they had lasted for the session. True to his word, Le Sèvre had provided her with a small ration of pigments just minutes before the Duchesse had arrived. It would not be enough for more than today’s sitting. Le Sèvre had made sure of that.
The quiet in the room was short-lived. Without any warning, the door flew open and Le Sèvre entered the room. He must feel the need to check up on me, Lisette thought.
“Does the sitting meet with your expectations, Duchesse?” he asked. Le Sèvre’s voice was less steady than normal. He glanced over at Lisette as he asked the question.
Is he nervous? Lisette wondered. The Duchesse de Chartres was his most important client. Losing her support would devastate his business, since other noblewomen would follow her lead.
Lisette saw him out of the corner of her eye, but did not return his gaze. She continued working on the portrait.
“It has exceeded them, in fact. Mademoiselle Vigée is exceptional, both at painting and at conversation,” the Duchesse said to him.
“If she is bothering you with too much chatter, please do tell me. I am more than willing to accommodate you in every way,” Le Sèvre said.
Le Sèvre stood watching Lisette.
He is afraid that I’ll bungle his good relationship with the Duchesse, Lisette realized. She concentrated hard on the portrait, never acknowledging Le Sèvre.
“Thank you, Monsieur Le Sèvre. You may leave us now,” the Duchesse said with an air of finality. As a person of much lower birth and social rank, Le Sèvre was compelled to obey the Duchesse. Besides, Lisette knew that he would never dare disregard her wishes. He profited too much from the jewels that he sold to her and to her friends.
Le Sèvre bowed to the Duchesse and added, “If you would like to have a fitting after you are done here, I have some splendid new jewels to show you.”
“No, not today. The sitting has been more than enough activity for one day. I must return home as soon as Mademoiselle Vigée is finished.”
“Yes, of course, Duchesse. I will leave you.” Le Sèvre bowed again to the Duchesse and then narrowed his eyes at Lisette, as if somehow it was her fault the Duchesse had not agreed to see his new jewels.
Lisette saw the Duchesse take notice of his disdain.
The Duchesse furrowed her brow.
As soon as he had left the room and shut the door, the Duchesse spoke, “Never mind that man. I tolerate him because he has the most beautiful jewels to sell to me. I don’t know who his supplier is, but he always has a varied selection, the best in all of Paris.” She paused and then continued, “He was foul to you because I will not be buying jewels from him today.” The Duchesse smiled at Lisette. “There will be another day for me to look at his newest collection.”
Lisette returned the smile as she finished the afternoon’s work. She had completed as much of the portrait as she could with her limited pigments. Lisette needed more of several colors.
“We are finished with today’s sitting, Duchesse. I believe we should only require one or two more to complete the portrait.”
“How wonderful. Do you think we could finish it later this week?”
“I think so, yes,” Lisette said. She had agreed, but Lisette knew it depended on Le Sèvre and how quickly he would replenish her pigments. She didn’t want to disappoint the Duchesse.
“I should like to bring the portraits to my father-in-law and present them as a gift for their newly renovated château. The masked ball in honor of the completion is next week.” The Duchesse stood and arranged herself.
“So you will want several copies then?” Lisette asked.
The Duchesse nodded.
“Please, come see our progress,” Lisette said, inviting her to examine the portrait.
As soon as the Duchesse saw her portrait, she let out a high-pitched shriek. “Oh my!”
“You are pleased then?”
“Very much so, Mademoiselle Vigée,” she said.
Quickly Lisette saw the Duchesse’s satisfaction transform to puzzlement.
“Duchesse?” Lisette asked her.
“It is magnificent…but why does the bow on my dress appear faded when the rest of the dress is brilliant?”
“Because I have run out of Madder pigment and am unable to mix the violet color,” Lisette said.
“Doesn’t Le Sèvre keep you well supplied? It won’t be difficult to acquire more of that color will it? I absolutely adore this dress, which is why I wore it to the sitting.”
Lisette wondered if she should tell the Duchesse of her predicament. They had shared a pleasant afternoon, but Lisette didn’t know if candor was appropriate.
“What is it? Mademoiselle Vigée?” The Duchesse returned to her chair facing Lisette and leaned forward as if she was preparing to hear a secret.
Lisette looked at the Duchesse and then at her portrait. It would be a shame if it remained unfinished, she thought. “Monsieur Le Sèvre rations my supplies. I never know when I will be getting more,” Lisette blurted out.
“I have a husband who once tried to ration my spending allowance. Imagine that! Me, the heiress of the largest fortune in France.”
The Duchesse laughed about it now, but Lisette saw in her eyes that the insult had hurt her deeply.
The Duchesse moved close to Lisette and whispered in her ear, �
�When you have finished, be sure to make an extra copy for yourself.”
Searching for understanding, Lisette studied the Duchesse.
“For you to do with what you like…perhaps to sell.” The Duchesse stood and slipped on her embroidered, silk gloves.
Lisette didn’t want to question the Duchesse, but she knew that if Le Sèvre discovered this extra copy, he would not be happy.
“I can see that you are worried…don’t be. Simply don’t tell him. It will be our secret. You have painted me beautifully…and you have been the most pleasing company.” The Duchesse smiled warmly at Lisette and swept out of the room.
As Lisette watched her leave, she thought, Maybe I won’t have to rely on Le Sèvre after all.
Chapter Seventeen
March 30, 1773
As Lisette made her way to Le Brun’s, she could think of nothing but her portraits of the Duchesse de Chartres and the Duchesse’s friends. Have they sold? she wondered. It has been over three weeks.
Lisette had intended on seeing Le Brun earlier, but Le Sèvre had escorted Lisette and her mother to Longchamp to celebrate the end of Holy Week. Lisette’s mother wanted to attend the Tenebrae service on Good Friday. The village church at Longchamp was known for its choir. Lisette suspected that Le Sèvre had less interest in the religious service. Like many nobles and merchants, Le Sèvre wanted to be seen in his new carriage. Those who traveled to the outskirts of Paris to Longchamp announced their privilege and wealth with their expensive horses and elaborate carriages. Not wanting to miss any opportunity to display his success, Le Sèvre insisted on driving out several days before Good Friday with all of the other important Parisian families. They had been in good company as they drove along the crowded, muddy paths of the Bois de Boulogne to and from Longchamp.
As soon as Lisette entered Le Brun’s shop, Monsieur Faucher approached her. He held out his hand to stop her from moving any farther into the gallery.
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