Daphne Maughan-Casorati was born in either London, England or perhaps at the British embassy in Paris, and registered in London, Her father Charles Maugham, born to a family of lawyers, was a barrister who had moved to Paris.

Her family was a remarkable assembly of artists. Her mother, Mabel, known as 'Beldy', Hardy made fabric genre scenes that were displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and Jeu de Paume in Paris. Mable was the daughter of Heywood Hardy, and English painter noted for hunting scenes. Heywood's maternal grandfather was Sir William Beechey, a noted portrait artist, and father to no less than three painters. Daphne's sister Clarisse was also a painter. Her sister Cynthia was a dancer traveling with Alexa...