Anna Dorothea Therbusch
Anna Dorothea Lisiewski Therbusch (1721-1782) was a successful female artist in the 18th-century. This was a pretty big accomplishment all by itself, although such a thing wasn’t totally unheard of. She and her sister, Anna Rosina, both studied with her father, who was a portrait painter.
Despite her early training, Therbusch’s artistic achievements came later in her life. She wasn’t really able to pursue her art until after she left her husband and family obligations in the 1760s. Shortly after that, the Elector Palatine in Mannheim named her his court painter. She painted many elaborate, Rococo portraits of Prussian royalty. She also achieved popularity in France and even earned the praise of Denis Diderot. Her sister became a successful court painter as well.
In her self-portrait, Therbusch showed herself as a well-dressed, older woman wearing a monocle and holding a book. This definitely isn’t an idealized work, but I think it flatters her in an unexpected way. It doesn’t make her appear young, beautiful, or even with good eyesight, but it shows her intelligence and confidence—longer-lasting and arguably more important qualities. She was clearly a successful woman to be viewed with respect as the accomplished portrait painter she was.
- Alexandra Kiely