Laura Muntz Lyall, born June 18, 1860 - died December 9, 1930, was a Canadian Impressionist painter.

Interesting Story by Lyall

Born Laura Adeline Muntz in Radford, Warwickshire, England, her family emigrated to Canada when she was a child to take up farming in the Muskoka District of Ontario. As a young lady, Laura Muntz was trained to be a school teacher but her interest in art eventually led to her take lessons in painting technique from J.W.L. Forster. Encouraged, she traveled to Paris, France to study at the renowned Académie Colarossi where she was influenced by the Impressionist style. Seen here, is one of Lyall's painting titled Interesting Story. On her return to Canada, she set up a studio in Toronto and became an Associate of the Royal College of Art (ARCA).

Laura Muntz Lyall was the first woman artist to receive recognition outside of Canada. Some of her works were exhibited at the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois and then in 1894 as part of the Société des artistes français in Paris. However, her career had to be put on hold following the death of her sister who left behind eleven children that Laura Lyall took responsibility for. It would be nine years before she was able to devote any time to painting but she lived only a few more years and passed away in 1930 in Toronto.

Laura Muntz Lyall is interred in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.