Ruth Mercierartist • painterColombier (Zwitserland) ca. 1880-ca. 1915 Frankrijk

Ruth Mercier was born to French parents in Switzerland, probably around 1860. There was more artistic talent in the family, as she had at least one sister, Louise (1862-1925), who also painted, and possibly another sister who did the same. Ruth studied and worked in Paris and exhibited in France and England between 1880 and 1915. In both countries, she quickly achieved success with her colorful, realistically executed floral still lifes and received numerous awards at exhibitions. Besides flowers, she also painted portraits, cityscapes, and watercolors of harbor scenes along the French Mediterranean coast near Cannes, where she maintained close contacts with the British aristocracy who wintered in Cannes at the time.