Elisabeth Louise VIGÉE LE BRUN (Paris, 1755 -1842) Mountain landscape with a cattle herder by a lake Pastel on paper Mountain landscape, pastel, by E. L. Vigée Le Brun 8.26 x 11.81 in. 21 x 30 cm Provenance: Private collection, Paris Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun's production of landscapes, although recently brought to light by the work of historians and especially that of Joseph Baillio, is still little known. In her Souvenirs, however, she states that she painted almost two hundred of them, and later, in her account of her travels in Switzerland, she even specifies that she painted them in pastel. It was during her exile and her many travels that our artist frantically began to paint this type of small landscape. It would seem that it was during her stays in Vienna and then across the Channel that she began to work directly from nature. In London, she recounted how she loved to walk in the surrounding countryside, making numerous studies. But it was mainly in Switzerland that Vigée Le Brun devoted herself to this important production. Nature was at the centre of her preoccupations. Mountain ranges, glaciers, waterfalls, vast expanses or snow-capped peaks - no bucolic setting captured on her excursions was to escape her blue paper and pastels. Unfortunately, only a few dozen of the hundreds of sheets mentioned by the artist have survived. Our recently rediscovered pastel, probably executed in Switzerland around 1807-1808, is a rare and particularly attractive example of Vigée Le Brun's landscape work. Here, the artist offers us a ravishing view of a lake, showing a shepherd bringing in his last animals in the subtle light of the setting sun hitting the mountain peaks. We would like to thank Mr Joseph Baillio for confirming the authenticity of this pastel, based on a photograph. It will be included in the catalogue raisonné of paintings, pastels and drawings by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun currently in preparation. A certificate dated 24 January 2025 will be given to the buyer. Elisabeth Louise VIGÉE LE BRUN (Paris, 1755 -1842) 21 x 30 cm Although recently brought to light by the work of historians, principally Joseph Baillio, Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun's production of landscapes is still little known. In her Souvenirs, however, she states that she painted almost two hundred of them, and later, in her account of her travels in Switzerland, she even specifies that she painted them in pastel. It was during her exile and her many travels that our artist frantically began to paint this type of small landscape. It would seem that it was during her stays in Vienna and then across the Channel that she began to work directly from nature. In London, she recounted how she loved to walk in the surrounding countryside, making numerous studies. But it was mainly in Switzerland that Vigée Le Brun devoted herself to this important production. Nature was at the centre of her preoccupations. Mountain ranges, glaciers, waterfalls, vast expanses or snow-capped peaks - no bucolic setting captured on her excursions was to escape her blue paper and pastels. Unfortunately, only a few dozen of the hundreds of sheets mentioned by the artist have survived. Our recently rediscovered pastel, probably executed in Switzerland around 1807-1808, is a rare and particularly attractive example of Vigée Le Brun's landscape work. Here, the artist offers us a ravishing view of a lake, showing a shepherd bringing in his last animals in the subtle light of the setting sun hitting the mountain peaks. We would like to thank Mr Joseph Baillio for confirming the authenticity of this pastel, based on a photograph. It will be included in the catalogue raisonné of paintings, pastels and drawings by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun currently in preparation. A certificate dated 24 January 2025 will be given to the buyer.