Léon Francois Comerre was born in France, living in both Paris and London. After studying in the Art school of Lille and walking away with the grand prize, at the age of 17, Léon Francois Comerre went to Paris to study under Alexander Cabanel.

As an academic painter, Comerre painted history, legends, and most notably portraits but under the infouence of Cabanel, his paintings took on an air of Orientalism.

In 1874 and 1875, Comerre entered the Salon show, winning the grand prize for the latter. This was probably when his Salon art cards were produced. As a gift of love, he painted a large mural called "The Triumph of Venus" which hangs today near the ceiling of the great Salon.

Comerre went back to London, exhibiting works at the Royal Academy, the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts. In 1897, he moved back to Paris where he remained until his death in 1916.