Helena Arsène Darmesteter: A Portraitist of Her Time Heléna Arsène Darmestéter (1850-1940) was a British portrait painter who achieved considerable acclaim during the Belle Époque, capturing the spirit of Edwardian England and showcasing her talent at prestigious venues like the Royal Academy and the Exposition Universelle in Paris. Born Helena Hartog in London in 1854, she descended from a family steeped in intellectual pursuits – her father was a French schoolteacher and her mother edited the inaugural Jewish women’s periodical, Marion Hartog Moss. This upbringing instilled in her a love f…