Charlotte Mercier facts for kids
Charlotte Mercier (1738–1762) was a talented French painter and printmaker who worked in London. She was known for her portraits and prints during the 18th century.
Early Life and Family
Charlotte Mercier was born in London in 1738. Her father was the famous artist Philippe Mercier. Charlotte learned to paint and make prints by studying with her father. Records from her baptism in 1738 show her parents were Philip and Dorothy Mercier.
Her Art and Works
Charlotte Mercier created beautiful artworks, including portraits. Two of her pastel portraits are kept in the National Museum of Women in the Arts. These portraits, painted in 1757, show Madeleine Marie Agathe Renée de la Bigotière de Perchambault and Olivier-Joseph Le Gonidec.
A pastel is a type of art material that looks like a stick of chalk. Artists use pastels to draw and color, creating soft, blended images.
Charlotte also worked as a printmaker. A print called Miss Playing with Cup and Ball is at the National Portrait Gallery, London. This print is a mezzotint, which is a special way of making prints from a metal plate. The National Portrait Gallery also has a mezzotint portrait of Charlotte herself, made by James Macardell in 1756, based on one of her father's paintings.
Later Life and Legacy
Charlotte Mercier died in London in 1762 when she was still quite young. Her mother had reached out to the Society of Artists of Great Britain in 1761, showing concern for her daughter.
Sometimes, Charlotte Mercier is mistaken for another artist named Claude Mercier. Claude Mercier also worked with pastels.
