Court painter under the Ancien Régime, Mosnier began, from 1789, a brilliant career as society painter in London, Hamburg and St. Petersburg.

Many times academician, he left considerable work and high quality, both in miniature painting.

Self-Portrait with Two Pupils is thought to have been the basis for Jean-Laurent Mosnier's painting of himself with his young daughters.

It is thought that his ambition was to clone the success of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard's painting.

[2] Media related to Jean-Laurent Mosnier at Wikimedia Commons