Marie Toulmouche by J.E. Delaunay (1884), Jules-Élie Delaunay, 1884

Portrait of madame marie toulmouche 1884 oil on canvas 90 x 74 cm inscribed/signed b. R: j. E. D. À madame mie toulmouche 1884 acquired 1918 inv. 918. 1. 1. P dauughter of a nantes magistrate, marie lecadre seems to have been a model of beauty and intelligence. She married the painter toulmouche and during their stays at blanche-couronne abbey, their property in the nantes countryside – visible in the background of the painting – she was the driving force for a coterie of friends including the painters gustave doré, puvis de chavannes, eugène picou and jules-elie delaunay himself, as well as the poet josé-maria de heredia. The group discussed art and literature and madame toulmouche sang and played music. Shown at the salon in paris in 1885 and in na ntes the following year, this portrait drew enthusiastic reactions and was considered one of the artist's masterpieces. Object Type: painting. Date: 1884.