François Dumont was one of the three greatest miniaturists in France. His patrons included Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Louis XVIII and Charles X and many other important people of his time. His younger brother, Tony Dumont, was also a miniature painter and was awarded a medal of the Academy in 1810. Both of them only signed with their surnames, so there is some controversy over the attribution to each artist. Tony was a violinist and often dabbled in painting portraits of musicians.