In 1875, Louise Abbema met the star actress Sarah Bernhardt. She spotted the actress two years ago and has been enchanted by her beauty since. Her work focused on everyday life, but after Bernadt’s appearance, it quickly shifted to portraits of her. This painting is a part of a private collection. Here we see Abbema use the Belle Époque style impressively, often characterized by a more spontaneous appearance with quick, light brushstrokes and vibrant colors. It is argued and assumed that Louise Abbema and Sarah Bernhardt had an intimate relationship and were possibly lovers. But regardless of whether that is true, Abbema portrayed her with care and love, be it in friendship or otherwise. She portrayed Bernhardt as she is often referred to: divine. Her curly red locks, light eyes, and sharp features often caught many eyes. Her docility is one of many things about her. She was eccentric and a lover of animals. And she shared the amicability that Louise Abbema had for her. They cast their hands, held together in bronze, and wished to keep the memory of their relationship alive while showing that they were both smart businesswomen and artists who were no less than men.
Sarah Bernhardt Hunting with Hounds is a remarkable oil-on-canvas portrait from a private collection that beautifully illustrates the deep personal and artistic connection between Louise Abbéma and the legendary French actress. Painted in the expressive Belle Époque style, the artwork features quick, light brushstrokes and vibrant colors that give the autumn forest backdrop a spontaneous, fluid appearance. In stark contrast to the softer, impressionistic rendering of the surrounding landscape, hunters, and hounds, Abbéma paints Bernhardt herself with immense precision, sharp clarity, and clear devotion, instantly drawing the viewer's eye to her as the central figure of reverence.
The painting speaks directly to the profound enchantment Abbéma felt after meeting the "divine" actress in 1875, a pivotal moment that shifted the artist's focus away from everyday scenes and entirely toward capturing Bernhardt's likeness. Abbéma portrays her subject with an intimacy and tenderness that reflects historical assumptions about their potential romantic bond, highlighting Bernhardt's iconic curly red locks, light eyes, and sharp features with absolute care. Furthermore, by placing the eccentric, animal-loving actress at ease with hunting dogs, the piece captures her unique amicability and docility with animals. Beyond personal affection, the portrait serves as a powerful statement of female empowerment; by depicting Bernhardt confidently leading a traditionally male-dominated sport, Abbéma frames both herself and her muse as smart, independent, and highly capable women standing on equal footing with men in society.
