About the artist
Leigh, born in London, was christened in 1767 at St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe. Her father, Jared Leigh, was an amateur artist. In George Romney's 1768 painting of the family group held at the National Gallery of Victoria, she appears as an infant alongside her parents and siblings. For several years, she served as an artist's model before marrying the painter Francis Wheatley in 1786. They had four daughters and a son. Leigh started exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1796, specializing in miniature paintings. Following her husband's death in 1801, she faced financial hardships while supporting her family. However, her exceptional botanical artwork gained recognition from Samuel Curtis, the publisher of the Botanical Magazine. She produced remarkable illustrations for Curtis's various publications. Sir John Soane, the architect, supported her work and commissioned the watercolour piece "The Flowers of Shakespeare" in 1835. Leigh's second marriage was to Alexander Pope, an actor and painter, in 1807. Besides her painting career, she taught Princess Sophia of Gloucester and other members of the British aristocracy. Leigh's artwork is housed in the Tate Museum's collection. Pope died in London in 1838.
