, daughter of Henry Cheron, a painter in enamel, of the town of Meaux,
, daughter of Henry
Cheron, a painter in enamel, of the town of Meaux, was
born at Paris in 1648, studied under her father, and at
the age of fourteen had acquired a name. The celebrated
Le Brun in 1676 presented her to the academy of painting
and sculpture, which complimented her talents by admitting her to the title of academician. This ingenious lady
divided her time between painting, the learned languages,
poetry, and music. She drew on a large scale a great number of gems, a work in which she particularly excelled.
These pictures were no less admirable for a good taste in
drawing, a singular command of pencil, a fine style of
colouring, and a superior judgment in the chiaroscuro.
The various manners in painting were all familiar to her.
She excelled in history, in oil-colours, in miniature enamels, in portrait painting, and especially in those of females. It is said that she frequently executed the portraits
of absent persons, merely from memory, to which she gave
as strong a likeness as if the persons had sat to her. The
academy of Ricovrati at Padua honoured her with the surname of Erato, and gave her a place in their society. She
died at Paris, Sept. 3, 1711, at the age of 63, two years
after she had been induced to marry M. La Hay, engineer
to the king, who was also advanced in years. Strutt says
she amused herself with engraving. Of the gems which
she designed, three were etched by herself, viz. Bacchus
and Ariadne, Mars and Venus, and Night scattering her
poppies. She also engraved a “Descent from the Cross,
”
and a “Drawing-book,
” consisting of 36 prints in folio.