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Cornelia Scheffer Paintings: The Top 4 Most Famous, Ranked
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 4 works by Cornelia Scheffer in our catalogue
Quick answer
The most famous Cornelia Scheffer painting is Self-portrait (1795); the original is in the Dordrechts Museum, Dordrecht. Woman with Two Children on a Country Road (1811) and The Women of Souli (1833) are numbers two and three. Out of the 4 works by Cornelia Scheffer in our catalogue, these are the 4 most famous, ranked, each with its year and museum, so you can choose the painting to order.
1769 – 1839, Dordrecht
Most works: Dordrechts Museum
Top 10 Cornelia Scheffer paintings, ranked
2
Hand-painted oil reproduction from $195 29 × 34 cm
Same size as the original $295 60 × 73 cm Order at original size →
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Painting details
3
Hand-painted oil reproduction from $445 37 × 27 cm
Same size as the original $728 112 × 95 cm Order at original size →
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Painting details
4
Museums holding Cornelia Scheffer's originals
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Cornelia Scheffer | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Dordrechts Museum |
Dordrecht | 4 | Self-portrait, Woman with Two Children on a Country Road, The Women of Souli |
Cornelia Scheffer by decade: the top painting of each
Works per decade
Select a decade to see its top painting.
Cornelia Scheffer paintings: common questions
What is the most famous painting by Cornelia Scheffer?Show answer
Self-portrait (1795), Dordrechts Museum, Dordrecht, ranks first, followed by Woman with Two Children on a Country Road (1811) and The Women of Souli (1833).
What was Cornelia Scheffer's age when Self-portrait was painted?Show answer
Cornelia Scheffer was 26: Self-portrait is dated 1795, and Cornelia Scheffer was born in 1769.
How many works by Cornelia Scheffer do you list?Show answer
4 works by Cornelia Scheffer are in our catalogue, dated 1795 to 1833.
Where are the original Cornelia Scheffer paintings kept?Show answer
Mainly in Dordrechts Museum (Dordrecht). See the museum table above for the full list.
Which are the earliest and latest famous Cornelia Scheffer paintings?Show answer
Earliest on this page: Self-portrait (1795). Latest: The Women of Souli (1833).
Which Cornelia Scheffer originals are at the Dordrechts Museum?Show answer
The Dordrechts Museum, Dordrecht holds 4 of the paintings ranked here, including Self-portrait, Woman with Two Children on a Country Road and The Women of Souli.
Can I order a Cornelia Scheffer reproduction?Show answer
Yes. Every painting on this page can be ordered as a hand-painted oil reproduction or a print. Open the painting, choose the size and place your order.
About the artist: Cornelia Scheffer
A Life of Miniature Precision
Dordrecht, 1769. Cornelia Lamme enters the world as the daughter of Arie Lamme, a landscape painter whose influence likely shaped her early hands. She grows up within an artistic circle, learning the delicate nuances of portrait miniatures. Her childhood is marked by linguistic agility, mastering French, German, and English. The stability of the Dutch Republic shifts in 1787 when Prussian forces arrive; the family flees to the southern Netherlands for two years before returning home.
In October 1794, a union occurs that merges two artistic lineages. Cornelia marries Johann Baptist Scheffer. This partnership is defined by shared skill and the movement of a family through The Hague, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam. She carries the title of miniature painter, working with watercolor and gouache on ivory to capture the likenesses of her own kin.
The Move to Paris
The year 1809 brings a sudden fracture. Johann dies at age 45. The financial weight of the family shifts. Following the death of her husband, Cornelia moves to Brussels, and by 1811, she settles in Paris. This relocation is a calculated decision; she believes the French capital offers better prospects for an artist than the Netherlands. She brings her sons, Ary and Hendrik, into this new environment.
Life in Paris involves navigating the district of Saint-Germain under difficult financial circumstances. As her son Ary gains prominence, Cornelia finds a new rhythm within his orbit. Starting in 1821, she begins working as a copyist for him and Hendrik. She uses her brush to replicate their paintings, effectively building a personal collection of their work through duplication.
Legacy in Miniature
Cornelia’s presence in the Parisian art scene is felt through her proximity to the great figures of the era. While living with Ary in his villa near Montmartre, she likely encounters the likes of Eugene Delacroix, Theodore Gericault, and Jean Baptiste-Dominating Ingres. Her role as a mother and a copyist places her at the center of a significant artistic household.
Her technical output remains rooted in the intimate scale of her training:
- Self-portrait Cornelia Scheffer-Lamme: A 1795 painting capturing her own likeness.
- Miniature portraits of her family: Executed in watercolor and gouache on ivory, held in the Dordrechts museum.
- Genre works: Including pieces such as The women of Souli, a copy of her son's work.
She remains in Paris until her death in 1839 at age 70. She is laid to rest in the Montmartre Cemetery.