Henriette Rath

Henriette Rath (11 May 1772 – 24 November 1856) was a Swiss portrait artist who worked in enamel and oil painting. She was a pupil of Jean-Baptiste Isabey and the first woman to be made an honorary member of the Société des Arts. She was the daughter of Jean-Louis, a watch dealer, and Alexandrine Sarah Rolland.

Rath had her first drawing lessons with Renée Sarasin-Bordier and in 1798 she began as a pupil in France with Jean-Baptiste Isabey. Isabey introduced Rath to the Russian imperial family, for whom she painted both copies and portraits. In 1851, the Musée Rath came under the ownership of the City of Geneva against their wishes and has remained to the present day. Grave of Simon and Henriette Rath in Cimetière des Rois, Geneva, Switzerland. Rath died in Geneva on 24 November 1856. She is buried in Cimetière des Rois with her brother, Simon.

Artworks Rath was a portrait painter who produced enamels, miniatures and oil paintings. She exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1801, 1809 and 1810. From 1816 to 1851, she exhibited regularly in Société des Arts. She also exhibited in Geneva, Zurich and Bern. Several of her portraits were also reproduced as engravings.

Legacy In 2019, Rue de la Corraterie in Geneva was renamed Rue Jeanne-Henriette Rath as part of the 100Elles initiative.