#29 - I am Madame X

Book No:29
Title: I am Madame X
Author: Gioia Diliberto
Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: 2003
Obtained: 2008/Kindle
Completed: 4/22/08
No. of Pages: 272
Rating: 3/5*****

John Singer Sargent’ s most celebrated work is Portrait of Madame X, one of the most famous works of art of the 19th century. However the painting caused a scandal when it was revealed at the 1884 Salon in France. This book is a fictional account of the woman behind the portrait, Virginie Gautreau, an American expatriate. A well known beauty in French society, Madame Gautreau’s reputation (such as it was) was destroyed by the unveiling of this painting, as was Sargents, who chose to leave Paris for good. The author has depicted a very vivid and interesting early life for Virginie, however in the long run the subject comes across as shallow and self-serving. She actually seemed to me a Paris Hilton of her day, renowned for nothing more than attending parties and being what was termed a professional beauty. The writing captured the essence of the time, and I found parts of the story fascinating, but the main character often seemed so whiny that I really didn’t like her much. I did appreciate the authors notes at the end, where she clarifies some of the history of the story, indicating the fictional adaptations she made. An interesting if not particularly riveting read.