Rachel Ruysch (1664–1750), born in The Hague, stunned art lovers with her highly sophisticated depictions of flora and fauna. Painting until she was well into her eighties, Ruysch achieved international fame and financial success on a par with male painters of the day, selling her work for up to 750 guilders (nearly twice as much as Rembrandt during his lifetime). Her paintings are still preserved in major museums across the globe. However, she has often been left out of art history books.
