Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau
Encyclopedia
Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau (January 29, 1859–July 25, 1915) was a Paris
ian socialite, artists' model and an American expatriate
. She is perhaps most widely known as the subject of John Singer Sargent
's painting Portrait of Madame X
.
Virginie Amélie Gautreau was born in New Orleans, Louisiana
, on January 29, 1859, the daughter of Anatole Placide Avegno (July 3, 1835- April 1862) and Marie Virginie de Ternant, of Parlange Plantation. Her parents were white Creoles
; her father was of paternal Italian ancestry, and her mother was a descendant of French nobility.
In 1867, at the age of eight, Virginie and her mother moved to France
where they quickly ensconced themselves in the highest echelons of French society. Her father, son of Philippe Avegno and Catherine Genois, had served as a Major
in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War
; and he had died in 1862 of a leg wound he received in the Battle of Shiloh
. He was the commander of the Avegno Zouaves of New Orleans, a cosmopolitan battalion which had French, Spanish, Mexican, Irish, Italian, and Chinese soldiers amongst its six companies.
She had a sister, Valentine, who died of yellow fever
.
and pencil in her eyebrows. She also attracted much admiration due to her elegance and chic avant-garde style. She married a French banker and shipping magnate Pierre Gautreau but that did not prevent her seeking the company of other men. Subsequently she became notorious for her numerous infidelities.
She posed for paintings by several noted 19th-century painters, including Gustave Courtois and Antonio de La Gandara
, and most famously was the model for John Singer Sargent
's "Portrait of Madame X
," which created a cultural scandal when it was exhibited in 1884 at the Paris Salon
. The scandal caused Virginie to retire from society.
Gautreau's and Sargent's intertwined stories are the subject of Strapless by Deborah Davis (Tarcher Penguin 2004).
Her story is also the subject of "I am Madame X: A novel" by Gioia Diliberto (Scribner 2004).
, Brittany
.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian socialite, artists' model and an American expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
. She is perhaps most widely known as the subject of John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings...
's painting Portrait of Madame X
Portrait of Madame X
Madame X or Portrait of Madame X is the informal title of a portrait painting by John Singer Sargent of a young socialite named Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, wife of Pierre Gautreau. The model was an American expatriate who married a French banker, and became notorious in Parisian high society...
.
Family
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, on January 29, 1859, the daughter of Anatole Placide Avegno (July 3, 1835- April 1862) and Marie Virginie de Ternant, of Parlange Plantation. Her parents were white Creoles
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
; her father was of paternal Italian ancestry, and her mother was a descendant of French nobility.
In 1867, at the age of eight, Virginie and her mother moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where they quickly ensconced themselves in the highest echelons of French society. Her father, son of Philippe Avegno and Catherine Genois, had served as a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
; and he had died in 1862 of a leg wound he received in the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
. He was the commander of the Avegno Zouaves of New Orleans, a cosmopolitan battalion which had French, Spanish, Mexican, Irish, Italian, and Chinese soldiers amongst its six companies.
She had a sister, Valentine, who died of yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
.
Madame X
A pale-skinned brunette with fine, cameo-like features and an hourglass figure, Virginie became one of Paris's most conspicuous beauties. To enhance her ivory complexion Gautreau wore lavender-colored face and body powder. She was known to dye her hair with hennaHenna
Henna is a flowering plant used since antiquity to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather and wool. The name is also used for dye preparations derived from the plant, and for the art of temporary tattooing based on those dyes...
and pencil in her eyebrows. She also attracted much admiration due to her elegance and chic avant-garde style. She married a French banker and shipping magnate Pierre Gautreau but that did not prevent her seeking the company of other men. Subsequently she became notorious for her numerous infidelities.
She posed for paintings by several noted 19th-century painters, including Gustave Courtois and Antonio de La Gandara
Antonio de La Gandara
Antonio de la Gándara was a French painter, pastellist and draughtsman.-Biography:He was born in Paris, France, but his father was of Spanish ancestry, born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and his mother was from England. La Gandara's talent was strongly influenced by both cultures...
, and most famously was the model for John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings...
's "Portrait of Madame X
Portrait of Madame X
Madame X or Portrait of Madame X is the informal title of a portrait painting by John Singer Sargent of a young socialite named Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, wife of Pierre Gautreau. The model was an American expatriate who married a French banker, and became notorious in Parisian high society...
," which created a cultural scandal when it was exhibited in 1884 at the Paris Salon
Paris Salon
The Salon , or rarely Paris Salon , beginning in 1725 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. Between 1748–1890 it was the greatest annual or biannual art event in the Western world...
. The scandal caused Virginie to retire from society.
Gautreau's and Sargent's intertwined stories are the subject of Strapless by Deborah Davis (Tarcher Penguin 2004).
Her story is also the subject of "I am Madame X: A novel" by Gioia Diliberto (Scribner 2004).
Death
Virginie died in Paris on July 25, 1915 and was buried in the Gautreau family crypt at the Chateau des Chenes in Saint-MaloSaint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
, Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
.
Sources
- New Orleans Parish Birth Records 1859
- A comprehensive site about painter Antonio de La Gandara
- Antonio de La GandaraAntonio de La GandaraAntonio de la Gándara was a French painter, pastellist and draughtsman.-Biography:He was born in Paris, France, but his father was of Spanish ancestry, born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and his mother was from England. La Gandara's talent was strongly influenced by both cultures...