Henriette Browne

Sophie de Bouteiller (June 16, 1829 – 1901), known by her pseudonym Henriette Browne, was a French Orientalist painter.

Renowned internationally during her lifetime for her unconventional approach to Orientalism, Henriette Browne specialized in genre scenes that represented the Near East in a less sensationalized, albeit still exotic, manner than her contemporaries. Her sex, social position, and influence from her mother were pivotal to her development as an artist.

Personal life Sophie de Bouteiller was born in Paris on June 16, 1829, to the Comte de Bouteiller and his wife. Her father was an amateur musician and her mother an accomplished singer. Browne attained a privileged position in society because of her father, who descended from an old Breton Family. She insisted that Sophie study music and drawing, and she was homeschooled by the Countess and other tutors in their Paris home. In 1849, Sophie decided to pursue more serious study in drawing by becoming a pupil of Monsieur Emile Perrin, who later became the director of Theater-Francais. In 1851, Sophie entered Monsieur Charles Joshua Chaplin’s class for female artists. Here she had the opportunity to study from live models, gaining indispensable knowledge on the depiction of body proportions and movements.

Henriette Browne married Monsieur Henry Jules de Saux, a French diplomat and secretary of Count Walewski, in 1853. Browne accompanied her husband on the many trips that his job required, traveling extensively to places such as Italy, Holland and Constantinople. These voyages proved to be vital to her artistic formation, exposing Browne to new environments. The trip to Constantinople was of particular importance, as it was during this trip that she visited a Turkish harem, gaining firsthand experience on what this private space was truly like. It is believed that this experience contributed to the unique manner in which she would later portray the Orient in her paintings and engravings. Her capacity for realism was evident at the beginning of her career.

She next exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in 1855, where she immediately became a success. All five of her paintings were sold including Ecole de Pauvres a Aix purchased by Emperor Napoleon.

Orientalism The nineteenth century saw a dramatic increase in Orientalist fascination, particularly in France and Great Britain. She represented female labor, sexuality, and space, and prioritized the female gaze. Browne's works were celebrated, as they broke with the male Orientalist tradition but were also uncontroversial in terms of style. The artist's reputation among critics as a serious artist was never under threat.

Britain Browne's early genre scenes of nuns and children were exceedingly popular in Britain despite the widespread anti-Romanism at the time. After its success at the Paris Salon of 1859, her painting Les Soeurs de Charité was shown in London, where it was identified as a masterpiece. The painting commenced her successful reputation in Britain. The English liked the painting especially for its strong moral message; To him and other English art enthusiasts, a person who can paint scenes of moral value must be of good moral stature him or herself. It was not about her gender, but rather her technique and the moral content of her works. The article on Browne in the English Woman's Journal in 1860 further enhanced her reputation. The article portrayed Browne as a professional artist and a good wife and mother. It stressed her position as a diplomat's wife without compromising her aptitude and attentiveness as an artist. The article also went into further detail on her paintings. In 1859, she also had her own exhibition at the French Gallery in Pall Mall owned by Gambart, who continued to exhibit her work years after. By 1860, at least eight of her works had been purchased by the English.

France Browne became well established in France as well. In 1855, she exhibited five works at the Exposition Universelle, all of which were sold. In 1855 and 1857 Browne was awarded third-class medals for painting at the Paris Salon. Henriette Browne Nuns.jpg|Religieuses au travail dans un couvent Henriette Browne Mutter Kind.jpg|La mère et l'enfant Une Beauté Orientale 1861, Henriette Browne.jpg|Une beauté orientale (1861), private collection La Captive Grecque, Henriette Browne.jpg|La captive grecque (1863), National Gallery Henriette Browne - La belle Juive.jpg |La belle Juive (1865) Henriette Browne 1.jpg|Fellah nord africaine (1867), private collection Browne, Henriette - A Girl Writing; The Pet Goldfinch - Google Art Project.jpg|Enfant écrivant (circa 1870), Victoria and Albert Museum Portrait de Femme 1877, Henriette Browne.jpg|Portrait de femme (1877), private collection