A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Walters, Henrietta
WALTERS, HENRIETTA,
An artist, was born at Amsterdam, in 1692. She was first instructed by her father, Theodore Van Pee, but afterwards by the "best artists in the city. After copying some of the works of Christopher Le Blond, she became desirous of having him for an instructor, which favour, with great difficulty, she obtained; his compliance being almost entirely owing to the extraordinary talents he discovered in her. In the manner of Le Blond, she painted portraits in small; and copied a portrait and a St. Sebastian, after Vandyck, which exceedingly advanced her reputation, as her copies resembled the originals to an astonishing degree.
She gradually rose to such a reputation, that Peter the Great of Russia offered her a large pension, to engage her in his service at St. Petersburg; but no inducements were sufficient to make her leave her own country, where she was so highly esteemed. The czar sat to her for his picture, but he had not patience to have it finished, as she usually required twenty sittings, of two hours each, for every portrait. She was afterwards honoured with a visit from the King of Prussia, who solicited her to reside at his court; but his generous proposal was also rejected. She died at Amsterdam, in 1741, aged forty-nine years.