Marie-Gabrielle Capet

Marie-Gabrielle Capet (6 September 1761 – 1 November 1818) was a French Neoclassical painter. Capet came from a modest background, and her previous background and artistic training is unknown. In 1781, she became the pupil of the French painter Adélaïde Labille-Guiard in Paris. She excelled as a portrait painter, and her works include oil paintings, watercolours, and miniatures.

Life In the atelier of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard. Labille-Guiard, Self-Portrait with Two Pupils. The pupils are Marie-Gabrielle Capet and Marie-Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond

Marie-Gabrielle Capet was born in Lyon on 6 September 1761. In her youth, Capet attended a public drawing school located in her town. In 1781, twenty-year-old Capet moved to Paris to become the student of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (1749–1803), As her student, Capet assisted Labille-Guiard by modeling, finishing certain sections of paintings, and producing miniature copies of her teacher's oil paintings. Many of her pastel paintings were portraits, though by 1808 she was regarded as a history painter in her own right. She counted among other customers several members of the royal family and members of Parisian society, such as the lawyer and the playwright Joseph Chénier. After Labille-Guiard's death, Capet continued to live with Vincent until his death in 1816. Upon his death, she purchased Labille-Guiard and Vincent's estate. Capet died in Paris in 1818.

Works The work of Marie-Gabrielle Capet contains a large collection of miniature portraits, the majority of which are housed in the Louvre. Included in this collection are portraits of Madame Martin de Lesseps; Madame Élisabeth, sister of Louis XVI; and Mademoiselle Mars. Presumed miniature portrait of Madame Élisabeth by Marie-Gabrielle Capet. 18th Century. Located at the Louvre. Though little work of Capet is known, there have been some miniatures attributed to her that are speculated to be of Madame Élisabeth, who was famously painted by Labille-Guiard as well. The unsigned miniature that is presumed to be of Madame Élisabeth is located at the Louvre. The miniature depicts a woman in a white muslin dress and a dark sash. Other miniatures signed by Capet have unknown whereabouts.