Pierre Louis Henri Grevedon (1776-1860, French)
Portrait of Rachel Felix
oil on copper
21 x 23.5 inches, including frame
Price: Sold
Elizabeth Rachel Felix (1821 – 1858) was born in Alsace. As a young girl, her parents moved to Paris, with the young Rachel singing in the streets along the way, in order to earn some extra income. She was taken on by the Theatre Francais at the age of 17, in 1838.
Her first role as Camille in Horace was a resounding success. Her interpretations of plays by Racine, Corneille and Voltaire rendered her one of the most celebrated actresses of her time, with Sarah Bernhardt later citing her as her main inspiration.
She had two sons, one by Count Walewski, son of Napoleon and Marie Walewska.
In 1859, Jean-Louis Gerome painted her portrait, Portrait de la tragedienne Rachel en buste, costume antique.
Despite constant pressure, she remained faithful to her Jewish faith and is buried in the Jewish quarter of the Pere-Lachaise cemetery in Paris.
The present work depicts Felix in her role as Roxane in Racine’s Bajazet in 1838, which was greatly acclaimed by contemporary critics. During the course of her career, she toured internationally, including London, Warsaw, New York and Cuba.