Anna Lee Merritt ( born Anna Massey Lea Merritt , September 13, 1844 - April 7, 1930 ) is an American portrait painter.
| Anna Lee Merritt | |
|---|---|
| Anna Massey Lea Merritt | |
 Anna Lee Merritt, 1913 | |
| Date of Birth | September 13, 1844 |
| Place of Birth | Philadelphia ,  USA |
| Date of death | April 7, 1930 (aged 85) |
| Place of death | Hurstbourne Tarrant , Hampshire ,  Great Britain |
| Citizenship | USA Great Britain |
| Genre | painting , engraving |
| Style | pre-Raphaelites |
Content
Biography
Born in a wealthy Quaker family in Philadelphia , PA . She was the eldest of six children.
From childhood, she was interested in art and painting, took lessons from private teachers. She also studied anatomy at the Pennsylvania College of Medicine.
In 1865, she moved with her family to Europe , where she took lessons from Stefano Ussi , Leon Cognier and Alphonse Legros .
In 1870 the family moved to London , fleeing the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war . Here Anna met her future husband and teacher Henry Merritt (1822-1877), an artist, critic and restorer. Their marriage was short-lived - Henry Merritt died three months after the wedding. Until the end of her life, the artist did not marry and never had children. In memory of her husband, she published a collection of his articles, illustrated by her engravings.
Until the end of her life she lived in England , often visited the United States . Her works were exhibited in both countries. Anna Lee Merritt passed away on April 5, 1930 in Hampshire .
Creativity
The artist is known for her paintings on literary, religious and mythological themes. The main part of her work is portraits.
Her most famous painting, Locked Love, was painted in memory of her husband. This is the first painting by a woman acquired by the Royal Academy of Arts .
Gallery
Portrait of Minna Sofia Farrer with a rabbit
Ophelia
Eve
Locked love
Portrait of Miss Ethel D'Arcy at the age of 6
Portrait of Henry Merritt with a pipe