Christina Robertson was a Scottish-born, internationally recognised portrait and miniature painter. Born in Kinghorn, Robertson was likely educated in painting under her uncle, the artist George Saunders, in London, and began her career painting miniatures, taking on commissions by her early twenties.
Between 1823 and 1844, Robertson exhibited frequently at the Royal Academy, producing around 130 portraits. In 1829, Robertson was elected the first female, and subsequently, honorary, member of the Royal Scottish Academy; a significant milestone for women in the arts.
Robertson built a successful career that allowed her to Paris and Russia, where she gained international acclaim. Robertson was commissioned by the Russian imperial family and became an honorary member of the Imperial Academy of Arts in 1841, maintaining a studio in St. Petersburg.
Specialising in commissioned portraits, often of women from prominent families, her work was typically housed in private collections rather than galleries. Although many of her paintings are now lost, some survive through engravings published in society magazines. She is best remembered for her portraits of the Russian imperial family and her role as a pioneering female artist within the academic tradition.
