Page:Mauprat (Heinemann).djvu/461

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The Portraits of George Sand


GEORGE SAND
About 1840
Engraved from a drawing by Nargeot
is decidedly a pretty woman. In the mezzo-tints of her at this period (c. 1838), she appears in a strong light, her expression gentle yet proud, her eyes brilliant, her figure supple, her skirt pleated on the hips in the Spanish fashion, her whole person full of that vigorous and feline charm, amorous, yet a little fierce, which was so much admired in those who were described at the period We reproduce one of these prints in the as Les Lionnes. frontispiece.


GEORGE SAND
About 1848
After the picture by Couture

Ten years later, the Lionne had become homely and buxom; no corset could give grace and flexibility to that bust. In the portrait painted by Thomas Couture, before 1850, Madame Sand, as will be seen in our illustration, had already become stout of figure and masculine of face, showing, in certain features and in the style of her hair, a considerable likeness to the famous English novelist, George Eliot. From this time forth the author of the Marquis de Villemer and of Mauprat seems to have felt that contemporary fashions were not

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