“Drawing was not simply a hobby for me; it was a dominant, unique, and all-consuming passion, and it lasted with an intensity far beyond many other passions, until sorrows and constant worries came to tear me away from it... and even then, as soon as I had a little peace of mind, drawing almost became my sole occupation again and brought me all my joy.”

Stephanie de Virieu was a draughtsman and sculptor born to the next generation of painters after Vigée Le Brun and Marguerite Gérard. Her drawings are a very recent discovery and her work is virtually unknown outside of France. Jill Newhouse Gallery presents five drawings by de Virieu, providing insight into the work of a woman whose life encapsulates art, literature, politics and society in early nineteenth century France.