Virginie Demont-Breton
(1859–1935)
Painter and poet
Born into a family of artists and married to one, Virginie Demont-Breton lived in the seaside town of Wissant where a community of artists gradually congregated. Her works show the realities of motherhood and domesticity, as well as the hardship of making a living from the sea. An active member of several societies of art and letters, she received the Legion of Honour in 1894.
Hortense haudebourt-lescot
(1784 – 1845)
Painter
Known for her neoclassical genre and historical scenes, as well as finely rendered portraits, Hortense Haudebourt-Lescot exhibited over 100 works at the Paris Salon between 1810 and 1840. So important and well-known was her work that she was appointed official painter for the Duchess of Berry and given a number of commissions to paint scenes at the museum at Versailles.
Caroline Loyo
(1816 – 1892)
Equestrian Circus Performer
“Sir, did you see her [Caroline Loyo], last year, on the horse that she tamed?”
“Alas! no, sir, last year I did not see her; Last year, I was in Florence admiring the masterpieces of the Pitti Palace”.
“Monsieur, when Caroline rides a new horse, we do not go to the Pitti Palace: we stay at the circus”.
Valentine Hugo
(1887–1968)
painter and Illustrator
Valentine Hugo created beautiful sketches and illustrations of ballet costumes and choreography, as well as fashion designs, and exhibited her work at a number of Salons of French Artists. She became involved in the Surrealism movement in the 1930s. Starting in 1940, her work was split between illustrating books, for which she also sometimes supplied the text, and costume and set design projects for theatre.