Eugénie Gruyer-Brielman

She was born to Jean Sébastian Clet (1807-1874), a construction contractor, and his wife Françoise, née Pellet.

After learning the basics of painting from a local artist, she continued her studies at the Académie Julian in Paris, with Tony Robert-Fleury.

She and Jean-Hector hosted meetings of the artistic community at their home, including several painters associated with the École dauphinoise [fr], such as Jean Achard and François-Auguste Ravier.

The same year she married, she held her first exhibition under the name Eugénie Gruyer-Brielman, in recognition of the Brielmans; a family of artists who were related to her husband.

The showing was successful, which encouraged her to present some of her works at the Paris Salon and the Exposition Universelle (1878), but her reception at the latter was lukewarm.