Sophie Gengembre Anderson was born in Paris, the daughter of a Parisian architect and an English mother. She studied portrait painting in her early years under Baron von Steuben in Paris. During the outbreak of the 1848 Revolution, she moved with her family to America,where she pursued portrait painting. She married the British artist, Walter Anderson, and returned to England . Anderson's technique was excellent and she was quite adept at depicting fabrics and drapery with outstanding light effects. Among her paintings were illustrations of 'Historical Collections of the Great West' by Henry Howe. In 1860 the couple visited Pennsylvania and exhibited their paintings at the National Academy. While working for Louis Prang & Co. she produced the popular 'Prattling Primrose' and 'Dotty Dimple' paintings