Louise Joséphine Sarazin de Belmont

(1790–1871, Versailles)

Louise Joséphine Sarazin de Belmont, a painter of landscapes and architecture, was trained in the studio of Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes, one of the few workshops accessible to women at the time. Her artistic career was surprisingly lengthy, encompassing a period of over forty years after her debut in Paris in 1812. Initially patronised by the Empress Joséphine, she subsequently enjoyed the protection of the Duchess of Berry, whose collection included twelve Italian vedute in her hand. Her studio in the Faubourg Saint-Germain in Paris was a popular meeting place for artists, including such prominent figures as Gros and Ingres.