Souvenirs de Madame Louise-Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, Tome troisième

In this lively third volume of her memoirs, the celebrated portraitist paints more than faces—she captures the shifting moods of European courts, with a particular focus on the turbulent reign of Paul I in Russia. Through her sharp eye, listeners are drawn into a world of masked balls, sudden imprisonments, and the emperor’s bewildering whims, all recounted with the intimacy of someone who moved among the aristocracy and observed its inner workings up close.

Her recollections blend personal anecdotes with vivid cultural detail: a hurried scuffle at a grand ballroom, the absurdity of bans on round hats, and the pervasive sense of uncertainty that gripped nobles and servants alike. Contrasting the oppressive atmosphere under Paul with the earlier freedoms of Catherine’s court, she offers a poignant glimpse into a society caught between opulent ceremony and capricious authority, inviting listeners to experience the uneasy elegance of an era through the eyes of a keen observer.