1000 Museums

Marie Ellenrieder was a German painter well-known for her portraits and religious pieces. In 1813, she became the first woman to admitted to the Academy of the Fine Arts in Munich, and later the first female master student. She drew much of her inspiration from her religion, believing that her talent was God’s gift and should be returned through religious paintings. From 1822-1824, she became a member of the Nazarene, a group of German artists who inspired an art movement dedicated to the renewal of religious artwork based on Raphael, an artist of the Italian Renaissance. Ellenrieder was one of the most respected artists of her time. Two of her paintings, Der 12 jährige Jesus im Tempel (The 12 year-old Jesus in the Temple) of 1849 and HI Felicitas und Ihre Sieben Söhne (Holy Felicitas and her Seven Sons) of 1847, were acquired by Queen Victoria and now reside as part of the Royal Collection in the Osbourne House.