![]() A few years after their arrival, the Second Empire was swept away in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian war. Although the Civil War devastated many families, the Avegnos still had plenty of money, so Amelie grew up in the lap of luxury, strictly chaperoned by her mother. As a French creole, Marie Virginie spoke French probably better than she spoke English and both the Avegnos and the Ternants (Marie Virginie's family) had long kept apartments in Paris, spending several months of the year there. After her younger daughter Valentine's death in 1866, her mother decided to leave the sad memories behind and move the family to Paris. Unfortunately he died of his wounds, leaving her mother a widow with two small daughters. Her father Anatole Avegno fought bravely in the Civil War and was wounded at the battle of Shiloh in 1862 when Amelie was only three years old. Virginie Amelie Avegno was born in New Orleans, LA, of French creole parents on Janu(making her an Aquarius). The book is a dual biography of both Amelie and Sargent, from their early lives, until the prophetic decision to have Sargent paint her portrait. Thanks to Deborah Davis' splendid book, Strapless, everyone can now find out more about Virginie Amelie Gautreau and the creation of Madame X. For years, I've been dyirn got know more about this woman. Perhaps it is the enigma of who she was and why she was called Madame X, and not by her real name. Her copper hair, her white white skin with the faint touches of red on the ears and lips, and the tiny crescent in her hair are just magical. Seriously I had no idea that they wore dresses that erotic back then before I saw this painting. Perhaps it is the haughty expression of the subject's face turned in profile, or the sexiest dress ever seen on a Victorian. There's something about the painting that just draws you in. ![]() Whenever I visit the museum, I always have to head over to the American wing to pay a visit. Still it is worth it to spend time in a museum that is the largest in the US, with a collection that rivals the Louvre.Īnd one of the most visited paintings in the museum is John Singer Sargent's portrait of Madame X. Although the cost is $20, it is suggested, not fixed, so tourists and residents can pay what they can afford. One of the things that I am grateful for is that I live in a city with one of the world's foremost art museums, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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