Sophie-Ernestine de Tott (1758 – 1848) was a French painter. Born in Constantinople, Tott was the daughter of François Baron de Tott, who served as a consul in that city, and was of Hungarian descent. A ''chanoinesse'' of Sainte-Anne de Munich, she was entitled by rank to be called "Madame" and is usually so described, although she never married.

Madame de Tessé Adrienne Catherine de Noailles, comtesse de Tessé (; 24 December 1741 – December 1813), was a French salon holder and letter writer. She was daughter of Louis, 4th duc de Noailles, sister of the 5th duc de Noailles and aunt of Marie Adrienn ...

took an interest in her and served as a maternal influence, and her sister married François, duc de La Rochefoucauld in 1793. Tott was the subject of a portrait by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun and corresponded with Thomas Jefferson. She is the subject of a

portrait miniature A portrait miniature is a miniature portrait painting, usually executed in gouache, watercolor, or enamel. Portrait miniatures developed out of the techniques of the miniatures in illuminated manuscripts, and were popular among 16th-century eli ...

in which she is painting a portrait of Madame de Tessé; sometimes attributed to her father, it may instead be a self-portrait. Tott fled the French Revolution, and between 1801 and 1804 exhibited a handful of portraits at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

. In 1807 she was a member of the household of

Elizabeth Craven Elizabeth, Princess Berkeley, sometimes unofficially styled Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach (''née'' Lady Elizabeth Berkeley; —), previously Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven, of Hamstead Marshall, was an author and playwright, perhaps be ...

. She had returned to France by 1825, when she produced a copy of a portrait of the prince de Condé. Tott died in Versailles, leaving her sister as heir. A portrait by her of

Augustus Curzon Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...

is currently in Kedleston Hall. A copy of her will is in the National Archives of the United Kingdom.

References

1758 births 1848 deaths Artists from Istanbul French women painters 18th-century French painters 18th-century French women artists 19th-century French painters 19th-century French women artists French people of Hungarian descent {{France-painter-18thC-stub