Anna Dorothea Therbusch

(23/07/1721 - 09/11/1782)

Self-Portrait with Monocle (c.1776-82)

One of the few women of the 18th century to achieve recognition within the male-dominated art world, Therbusch was born in Berlin to an artistic family and was raised by her father, Georg Lisiewski, a portraitist at the Prussian court. Despite societal restrictions on women, Therbusch displayed remarkable determination in pursuing a professional artistic career.

Like many successful women of her time, Therbusch received her initial training from her father, learning alongside her 11 siblings in the family workshop. However, her artistic aspirations were temporarily set aside in 1742 when she married an innkeeper and devoted herself to raising five children. For nearly two decades, her talents remained largely dormant as she fulfilled the traditional roles expected of women in 18th century Prussia.

Her early work focused on portraiture, a genre that, while still limited, offered women opportunities for an artistic career. At the age of 40, Therbusch made the bold decision to return to art and pursue painting professionally. This late start proved no hindrance to her remarkable productivity and in the subsequent 21 years before her death, she created an extensive oeuvre of work, of which about 200 survive, including at least 85 verified portraits, showcasing her mastery of the Rococo style that dominated 18th century European art.

Shortly after Therbusch returned to painting, she was summoned to the Württemberg court in Stuttgart, where she gained significant commissions and established herself as a court painter to the Elector Palatine in Mannheim. Her confident style, marked by rich colour and psychological depth, earned her acclaim among the aristocracy.

Travelling to Paris in 1765, she was accepted into the prestigious Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture where she painted a self-portrait depicting herself with palette and brushes in hand, affirming her status as a professional artist and now considered one of her most celebrated works.

Returning to Berlin in 1770, Therbusch continued her work as a portraitist, painting notable figures including Frederick the Great and members of the Prussian court. Here, she shared a studio with her brother and collaborated with him on portraits of the Prussian royal family for Catherine the Great of Russia.

As one of few female painters to be granted membership in the Académie des Arts in Stuttgart, the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture in Paris and the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Vienna, Therbusch’s career defied the conventions of her time, helping to pave the way for later generations of women artists.

Image: Anna Dorothea Therbusch, Self-Portrait with Monocle (c.1776-82). Oil on canvas, 151 x 115 cm. Gemäldegalerie, Germany.