Margherita Caffi

Today is the anniversary of the death of Margherita Caffi, who died on this day in 1710. 

Caffi was an Italian painter who was able to have a long career painting still life flower & fruit compositions. The men in her family were painters, but Caffi was self-taught. A mother of four who was pursuing a craft outside of the norm for her times, Caffi had an incredible work ethic. But, her efforts paid off; Caffi achieved fame and even royal patronage during a time when female painters were not embraced.
A quick Google search of Caffi will reveal that she loved tulips, roses, peonies, and carnations; she loved to paint their delicate forms and felt that their great colors - the soft pinks, the vibrant reds, the remarkable shades of yellow and orange - were best displayed against a dark background.