4072602 Sophie Blanchard in the basket of her balloon during her Milan flight in the presence Napoleon, 1811 (lithograph) by Rados, Luigi (1773-1840); Private Collection; (add.info.: Marie-Madeleine-Sophie Armand (1778-1819) French aeronaut and the wife of ballooning pioneer Jean-Pierre Blanchard. She was the first woman to work as a professional balloonist throughout Europe, entertaining Napoleon Bonaparte (here at the "Fete de l\'Emperor" in Milan on 15 August 1811) who promoted her to the role of "Aeronaut of the Official Festivals" ).