The Scandalous Women in History
By: Team Ifairer | Posted: 06-12-2014
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Madame Pierre GautreauParisian socialite and artists' model, Virginie Amelie Avegno Gautreau was the model for John Singer Sargent's painting 'Portrait of Madame X.' Known for her avant-garde style and numerous affairs, Madame Pierre Gautreau gained notoriety from Sargent's painting, but not in the manner she had hoped. Originally, the right shoulder strap was hanging off the shoulder, and the combination of this and the 'erotic' suggestion of her dress, pale skin and pose caused viewers to be shocked and Gautreau to retreat from the public's eye.