Anna Dorothea Lisiewska

1721 – 1782

German painter of Polish descent. She was taught by her father, the portrait painter Georg Lisiewski (1674-1751), and received further training from Antoine Pesne in Paris. She worked for Charles-Eugene, Count of Württemberg, in Stuttgart from 1761 to 1762, and for Charles Theodore Wittelsbach, Elector Palatine of the Rhine, in Mannheim from 1763 to 1764. In 1765 she returned, via Stuttgart and Hohenzollern-Hechingen, to Paris, where in 1767 she became a member of the Académie Royale. She met Denis Diderot and Philipp Hackert, both of whom she painted, and Charles-Nicolas Cochin (ii), but, despite consistent support from Prince Galitsyn, she was unable to establish herself in Paris. In 1769 she returned to Berlin where she received commissions for mythological paintings (e.g. Diana and her Nymphs, 1771; Potsdam, Neues Palais) from Frederick II, King of Prussia. She painted portraits of members of the Prussian court, and the Berlin bourgeoisie, and in 1773 was commissioned by Catherine II, Empress of Russia, to paint a portrait of the Prussian royal family. As well as paintings with religious and mythological themes and numerous commissioned portraits (85 of which are documented), she also painted many self-portraits. There are also pastels and drawings among her 200 surviving works. Her sister ( Anna Rosina Matthieu) was also a portrait painter.

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