A Bath Oliver biscuit is an unassuming treat consumed in England for over two centuries. Its creator, Doctor William Oliver from Bath, was interested in healthy eating and believed biscuits made from simple ingredients, such as flour, butter and milk, were a nutritious addition to a person’s diet.
Oliver’s biscuits became so popular that they were sold in London and beyond. They became popular with sailors due to their long shelf life and ability to withstand sea travel. Admiral Lord Nelson (1758-1805) allegedly kept a supply of Bath Oliver biscuits on his ship.
Bath Oliver biscuits are still made using the original recipe. Their unsweetened, crisp texture makes them perfect for pairing with cheese or pâté, but people also enjoy them without accompaniment.
William Oliver originally came from Ludgvan, Cornwall, where he was born to John Oliver, the owner of the Trevarno Estate, on 14th August 1695. The family moved to the estate of Treneere near Penzance, where it appears the Olivers were well-connected. After the death of John and his wife, William Oliver commissioned Alexander Pope (1688- 1744) to write an epitaph for their monument at Sithney parish church.
Oliver graduated from Pembroke College, Cambridge, in 1720 and continued his medical training in the Netherlands at Leiden University. On returning to England, he briefly practised in Plymouth before moving to Bath. For some time, he campaigned for the erection of the Royal Mineral Water Hospital, known today as the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases. It eventually opened in 1738 as a general hospital for the poor, who travelled to Bath because of the supposed healing properties of the mineral water from the spa.
In 1740, Oliver became a physician at the Water Hospital and drew up the regulations for admissions of patients. People as far as Scotland and Ireland were allowed to use the facility, although their privileges differed slightly from those living in England. Oliver continued to work at the hospital until 1761, although his time there was not always plain sailing.
The dismissal of Archibald Cleland, one of the hospital surgeons, in 1743 on a charge of improper conduct led to many inquiries about the Water Hospital. Later, in 1757, Dr William Baylies (1724-87) and Dr Charles Lucas (1713-71) caused more problems by abusing their position, resulting in Oliver and many other physicians refusing to work with them.
Oliver is the alleged inventor of the Bath Bun, a sweet roll made from a milk-based yeast dough with sugar sprinkled on the top. These treats proved too fattening for his rheumatic patients, leading him to develop the Bath Oliver biscuit. Oliver kept the ingredients secret until the end of his life when he confided the recipe to his coachman Atkins along with £100 and ten sacks of the finest wheat flour. Atkins went on to open a shop, amassing a fortune from selling Bath Olivers.
After working in Bath for almost 40 years, William Oliver passed away on 17th March 1764. He is buried at All Saints’ Church on the outskirts of the city, and a plain memorial tablet resides at Bath Abbey. Selina Hastings (1707-91), Countess of Huntingdon, a prominent Methodist leader, claimed he remained “a most inveterate infidel till a short time before his death,” suggesting he either found religion or converted to Methodism.
Oliver and his wife, Elizabeth Webster (1706-68), had at least six children, including a son, William, who became a doctor in Bath. One of his daughters, Charlotte (b. 1728-53), married Sir John Pringle (1707-82), the father of military medicine and future physician to King George III. Unfortunately, the marriage only lasted a year, and Charlotte died soon after. None of Oliver’s children saw any money from the Bath Oliver biscuits, but they did inherit his estate.
William Oliver treated many patients during his career and helped establish the Royal Mineral Water Hospital, but he is mostly remembered for the creation of the Bath Oliver biscuit. Nonetheless, a plaque reading “On this site stood the residence of William Oliver M.D. one of the founders of the Royal Mineral Water Hospital b. 1695 d. 1764” is situated on the wall of 16-18 Queen Square, Bath.
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This year, the fascinating tale of the skilled artists who brought Ladybird books to life for over three decades was explored at The Wonderful World of the Ladybird Book Artists exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath. The exhibition featured rare books, original artworks, and artefacts, demonstrating the role of the illustrators for Ladybird. The exhibition also looked into the collaborative work of these artists, focusing primarily on the company’s “golden years” between 1940 and 1975.
The origins of Ladybird can be traced back to a printing business called Wills & Hepworth in Loughborough. At the turn of the 20th century, the company offered bookbinding services and sold many products, including artists’ materials, fancy goods, and ladies’ handbags. The outbreak of World War One dealt a heavy blow to their business, forcing them to explore new opportunities. To stay financially afloat, they began to publish affordable children’s books, though these differ vastly from the Ladybird books known today. The books were large and poorly printed on cheap paper, but they helped keep the print works running.
In 1940, Wills & Hepworth advertised a new type of children’s book – the first classic Ladybird: Bunnkin’s Picnic Party, illustrated (and originally written) by Angusine Macgregor (1881-1961). Due to wartime shortages, a complete mini-book was created using just one sheet of carefully laid-out paper, which remained the blueprint for Ladybird books for the next four decades.
Angusine Macgregor had established herself as an illustrator of children’s picture books for various publishers before she joined Ladybird. Having trained at Birmingham Municipal School of Art, Macgregor had a unique illustration style. Her work at Ladybird included titles like Mrs Bunny’s Refugee, Bobbity Flop and The Adventures of Silver Suit.
Initially, Ladybird commissioned Macgregor to write and illustrate the stories, but her rhymes did not receive the same level of appreciation as her illustrations. New authors later rewrote some of the books. Despite this, some titles from her Animal Rhyming series of the 1940s remained in print for over 40 years.
In the 1940s, Ladybird books targeted preschool children and comprised fictional tales and rhymes. In the early 1950s, the company shifted its focus towards producing high-quality illustrated non-fictional books for the rapidly growing education market. The first subject chosen for this new venture was Nature. This radical change was driven by Douglas Keen (1913-2008), who believed Ladybird could produce books that catered to a broader audience range and diverse interests. The first book in the Nature series British Birds and their Nests was an immediate success, paving the way for more books on identifying trees, butterflies, birds, shells, rocks, and clouds. Books like Our Land in the Making demonstrated Britain’s rapidly changing post-war landscape, with the rise of suburban life and expansion of the road network.
Ladybird was committed to ensuring the accuracy and quality of the books, so they carefully selected writers and artists who were renowned experts in their respective fields to produce the Nature books. Allen Seaby (1867-1953) loved Japanese-style colour woodblock printing, which features in British Birds and their Nests and A 2nd Book of British Birds and their Nests. Roland Green (1890-1972) created numerous bird studies in watercolours and oils, as did Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe (1901-79).
Ronald Lampitt (1906-88), a self-taught commercial illustrator from Worcester, began his career by producing work for Medici cards, Reader’s Digest, Look & Learn, the Whitbread calendar, railway posters, and numerous cover illustrations for the weekly magazine John Bull. Later, Lampitt contributed to Ladybird books, including Plants & How They Live, Our Land in the Making Books 1 and 2, Understanding Maps, Learning About Insects & Small Animals, What to Look for Inside a Church, and What to Look for Outside a Church. His artistic style featured wistful, nostalgic landscapes of sprawling views with elm trees, small lanes, and tiny figures going about their daily activities. Lampitt also created cityscapes and crowd scenes.
Ladybird began issuing approximately two history books a year, starting with Alfred the Great in 1956, and continuing until 1981. The History series became the largest of all Ladybird series with 50 different titles. The books mainly focused on men in history, primarily British leaders and explorers, reflecting the school curriculum of that time. Nevertheless, among the first books published were Florence Nightingale and Queen Elizabeth I. Lawrence du Garde Peach (1890-1974), a dramatist and radio personality, wrote all the books until the 1970s, and John Kenney (1911-72), an artist from Leicestershire, produced most of the illustrations. Later, Ladybird introduced another long series of books that focused on historical development rather than individuals. Called the Achievements series, it covered diverse topics such as ships, cars, newspapers, homes, costumes, printing, oil, and nuclear power. These books were popular with schools in the 1960s and 1970s, and students used them for school projects and homework assignments. Robert Ayton (1915-85), an artist who had previously worked for Eagle magazine, illustrated many of the books in this series.
John Kenney underwent training at Leicester College of Art before serving with the Army during World War Two, where he notably participated in the D-Day landings. Before joining Ladybird, he produced illustrations for the Thomas the Tank Engine series by Reverend Awdry between 1957 and 1962. During his time with Ladybird, Kenney contributed to 31 titles, including Tootles the Taxi and the History books. Eventually, Kenney retired due to ill health and was replaced by Roger Hall.
At 15, Roger Hall (1914-2006) embarked on his career as an artist by painting publicity images for cinema displays. Being self-taught, he devoted his weekends to studying portraits in art galleries like the Tate and National Galleries. Eventually, Hall ventured into book illustrations, working with various publishers such as Pan, Corgi, and Mills & Boon. In 1955, he created the first-ever depiction of James Bond on a book cover – the paperback edition of Casino Royale. Hall joined Ladybird later in his career, taking over the History books from his predecessor, John Kenney. When Ladybird decided to update the History series books in the 1980s, Hall was frequently chosen to create the cover illustrations, even if other artists were responsible for the rest. Ladybird believed his painting style would appeal to children and parents and help sell the books.
Ladybird books gained popularity in schools across Britain during the 1960s, prompting the company to explore topics that interest older children. Consequently, a series of books was proposed to educate children about the world of work. The People at Work series debuted in 1962 with The Fireman and concluded with In a Big Store in 1973, comprising 20 books. John Berry, an artist with a talent for photo-realism and portraiture, was chosen to illustrate all the books. The series featured titles such as The Soldier, The Policeman, The Nurse, The Roadbuilders, and The Customs Officer.
John Berry (1920-2010) volunteered for the RAF at the start of World War Two. He was later selected as a war artist and travelled to the Middle East. Four of his paintings were later acquired by the Imperial War Museum. After the war, Berry produced society portraits and freelance advertising. In the 1950s, he designed an advertisement for Esso’s Tiger in Your Tank campaign, for which he also created the slogan. From the late 1950s to the 1980s, Berry found plenty of work with Ladybird due to his exceptional talent. He illustrated numerous travel books, including The Ladybird Book of London, and all 20 books in the People at Work series.
Ladybird introduced a separate series of People at Work to emphasize the benefits of Public Services, including Gas, Electricity and Water. While women were more prominently featured in the books in the 1970s, the initial books emphasized the work of men. To offer a more detailed and technical introduction to specific topics, the How it Works series was launched in 1965, mainly illustrated by Bernard Robinson (1912-70). The series served as an introductory handbook to aspects of modern technology, including The Camera, The Rocket, The Hovercraft, and The Computer. Many engineering undergraduates reportedly wrote essays based on these books, and workplaces used them for basic training.
Ladybird occasionally published fairy tales and fantasy stories for preschool children. In 1964, the company decided to undertake an extensive series of beautifully illustrated fairy tales, including classics such as Cinderella, Three Little Pigs, and The Magic Porridge Pot. This series, aptly named Well-Loved Tales, became one of the most popular series Ladybird ever produced. Douglas Keen gave a previously published Ladybird book from 1959, Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks, originally illustrated by Harry Wingfield, to two artists, Eric Winter and Robert Lumley, to use as a model for the new book series. Winter and Lumley’s collaboration resulted in a colourful world filled with princesses in lovely dresses, frightening wolves, helpful elves, wise hens, and terrifying trolls. The text, written by Vera Southgate (1916-95), was just long enough to be read as a bedtime story and easy enough for young readers.
Eric Winter (1905-81) mostly illustrated children’s comics and women’s magazines before joining Ladybird. One of his notable achievements was designing the iconic Abbey National Building Society logo in the 1950s, which the company used until 2003. Winter worked for Ladybird from 1960 and illustrated many titles in the Well-Loved Tales series, including Cinderella, Rapunzel, Puss in Boots, and Goldilocks.
Robert Lumley (1920-76) trained under the art director of Disney’s Bambi. In 1952, Lumley established Broad Oak Studies in Harfield Broad Oak, Essex, with his wife Sally, where he worked on illustration, animation, fine art, and design projects. From 1964 to 1974, Lumley contributed to several titles in Ladybird’s Well-Loved Tales series, including The Elves and the Shoemaker,The Three Little Pigs, The Gingerbread Boy, and The Enormous Turnip. He often used local residents and townscapes as models and settings for his illustrations.
The Key Words Reading Scheme, also known as the Peter and Jane series, was initially introduced in 1964. The reading scheme comprised 36 books, divided into 12 colour-coded levels, and taught children from their first words to confident reading. This scheme became Ladybird’s most significant commercial success. Douglas Keen enlisted the help of Harry Wingfield and Martin Aitchison, two of his most trusted illustrators, to depict the daily lives of Peter and Jane, along with their dog Pat. The project was a massive undertaking with 36 books, each containing 24 illustrations, produced within a tight deadline. On occasion, Robert Ayton, John Berry, and Frank Hampson assisted with the artwork. The reading scheme was a significant financial risk, but it quickly became popular, earning a place on school bookshelves throughout the country and teaching generations of children how to read.
Harry Wingfield (1910-2002) began his career in advertising in 1930 when he started working for electrical manufacturers Crabtree in Birmingham. It was during this time that he first met Douglas Keen. Wingfield’s first commission for Ladybird was for the book Little Red Riding Hood, and from then on he became one of the most extensively employed Ladybird artists. From 1959 to 1980, he illustrated numerous series including Learning with Mother, collaborating with his wife Ethel, who was a teacher and early years specialist. Along with Martin Aitchison, he was the main illustrator for the Key Words Reading Scheme from the early 1960s.
Frank Hampson (1918-85) played a key role in the success of the groundbreaking Eagle magazine from 1950 to 1959, where he illustrated and initially wrote the Dan Dare strip. From 1964 to 1970, Hampson worked for Ladybird, where his work included Nursery Rhymes 1, 2 and 3; Kings and Queens of England; two books in the Key Words Reading Scheme, and The Stories of Our Christmas Customs.
Ladybird’s success saw a sharp rise from the 1950s to the 1970s, a time when the social landscape of Britain underwent significant changes. Until then, Ladybird artists, primarily white men, had relied on their own lives and the people around them – family and neighbours – as models for their illustrations. Following criticism from the press and schools, Ladybird decided to update the artwork for the Peter and Jane books, making changes to fashion, Jane’s role and increasing the representation of social diversity. In the 1970s, Ladybird introduced a shorter version of the Peter and Jane books, set in the Caribbean, where Ken and Joy became Ladybird’s first black main characters. Artist Martin Aitchison travelled to Trinidad, Jamaica, and the Bahamas to collect reference photographs. Known as the Sunstart scheme, Aitchinson fondly remembered it as some of his most satisfying work for Ladybird.
Martin Aitchison (1919-2016) trained at the Birmingham School of Art and the Slade School of Art, where he met his future wife Dorothy. Dorothy wrote some of the books for Ladybird, which included adaptations of traditional stories. During World War Two, Aitchison illustrated operating manuals for Vickers Aircraft. He also worked with Barnes Wallis and created visuals to help “sell” the idea of the bouncing bomb used in the Dambusters raid. Aitchison’s first book for Ladybird was A First Book of British Saints, but Douglas Keen initially rejected his artwork as “not right for us”. However, Aitchison went on to illustrate almost 100 different titles for Ladybird during his 30-year stint until his retirement in 1985.
The exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery stopped in the 1980s but that is not the end of Ladybird’s story. For instance, in November 2014, Ladybird signed up to the Let Books Be Books campaign and announced that it was “committed” to avoiding labelling books as “for girls” or “for boys” and would be removing such gender labelling in reprinted copies. In 2015, Ladybird announced that it would be publishing its first series of books for adults. The books, which parody the style and artwork of the company’s books for children, include the titles The Hangover, Mindfulness, Dating, and The Hipster.
In 2015, Ladybird celebrated its 100th anniversary. Today, Ladybird is part of the Penguin Random House publishing company and includes modern icons such as Topsy and Tim, Peppa Pig and In the Night Garden. The brand has expanded from picture books into a multi-platform experience with various computer apps.
Whilst The Wonderful World of the Ladybird Book Artists is a nostalgic exhibition, Ladybird Books are not a thing of the past. New books are continually published, and the old ones are still loved by children and adults today. What began as a publishing company trying to stay afloat during the war years resulted in a worldwide success story. Many may regard these books as quintessentially British, but stories are also published in Swedish, Afrikaans, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norweigan, Danish, Finnish, Welsh, Scots Gaelic, Irish Gaelic, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Malay, Zulu and even Esperanto.
Unfortunately, The Wonderful World of the Ladybird Book Artists closed on 14th April 2024. They gallery’s new exhibition Toulouse-Lautrec and the Masters of Montmartre is open until 29th September 2024.
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Believed to be Caravaggio’s last painting, The Martyrdom of Saint Ursula (1610) is on display at the National Gallery, London, until 21st July 2024. Displayed alongside Salome receives the Head of John the Baptist (1609-10), the mini-exhibition details Caravaggio’s attempted return to Rome, where a sudden fever caused his untimely death.
Caravaggio (1571-1610) depicts St Ursula’s martyrdom in a dark, crowded space. She is the only female in the painting, surrounded by male soldiers, one of whom has just fired an arrow into Ursula’s chest. The position of Ursula’s hands frames the bleeding wound while the other soldiers look on aghast. Amongst these men is a self-portrait of the artist, whose open mouth demonstrates his horror.
Saint Ursula is an unusual choice of subject, as she traditionally represents female empowerment. Caravaggio’s patron, Marcantonio Doria, commissioned the painting to honour his step-daughter Livia, a nun who took the name Sister Ursula.
Saint Ursula, whose name means “Little Bear”, was a Romano-British virgin. There is little to no factual information about Ursula, but a medieval legend claims she was the daughter of 4th-century King Dionotus of Dumnonia in southwest Britain. According to the story, Ursula set sail to Armorica (France) with 11,000 virginal handmaidens to join her future husband, the pagan governor Conan Meriadoc. During a storm, which sped up her journey, Ursula decided to make a pan-European pilgrimage before her wedding.
Ursula and her handmaidens headed to Rome, where she convinced the Pope and a bishop of Ravenna to join them. Their journey took them through modern-day Germany, where the nomadic Huns captured them. Their captors beheaded all 11,000 virgins and eventually, as depicted in Caravaggio’s painting, shot Ursula with an arrow.
Due to a lack of credibility, many historians and Christian theologians dismiss the existence of Saint Ursula. A similar story emerged in the 10th century, although the bride-to-be had the name Pinnosa. Towards the end of the century, another tale developed titled Passio Ursulae. This version named Ursula as the lead character, and Pinnosa was one of the 11,000 virgins.
Some parts of Passio Ursulae may have evolved from mistranslations. The 11,000 virgins are shortened to XI. M. V. When read as Roman numerals, this could mean 11 (XI) thousand (M) virgins (V). An alternative interpretation is 11 (XI) martyred (M) virgins (V). Another scholar suggested Ursula was an 11-year-old girl and that the virgins did not exist, whereas another theory records Ursula’s name as Undecimilla, which a monk misunderstood as the number 11,000.
The Basilica of St. Ursula in Cologne holds the alleged relics of Ursula and the virgins. Author Christina Quigley (b. 1963) describes these bones as a “veritable tsunami of ribs, shoulder blades, and femurs … arranged in zigzags and swirls and even in the shapes of Latin words.” The Goldene Kammer, a chapel belonging to the Basilica, contains sculptures of some of the women in the legend.
In 1572, Angela Merici (1474-1540), the foundress of the Angelines, established the Order of the Ursulines with Ursula as their patron saint. The nuns followed the Rule of Saint Augustine and spread to Canada, the USA and Australia. In the Catholic church, the feast of St Ursula is celebrated on 21st October in Spain and the Philippines.
There are also Anglican churches dedicated to Saint Ursula in Europe. Llangwyryfon in Wales, which means “Church of the Virgins”, has the only church in the UK bearing Ursula’s name. Some scholars believe Ursula came from that area. Before 1565, the Church of St Mary, St Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins, also known as St Mary Axe, stood at the east end of London. Allegedly, the church owned the axe used to kill the 11,000 virgins. Today, the area is known as St Mary Axe.
Other places named in Ursula’s honour include the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. Christopher Colombus (1451-1506) gave them the name Santa Úrsula y las Once Mil Vírgenes (Saint Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins) when he sailed past in 1493. The group of islands became known as las Vírgenes (the Virgins) for short. Similarly, Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521) named the southeastern tip of Argentina Cape Virgenes, and João Álvares Fagundes (1460-1522) called an island near Canada after the 11,000 virgins. The latter is known as Saint Pierre and Miquelon today.
Although Saint Ursula is not a typical choice to depict in art, Caravaggio is not the only artist to paint her martyrdom. Catherine of Bologna (1413-63), the patron saint of artists, is credited with painting two images of Saint Ursula. Hans Memling (1430-94) and Bernardo Cavallino (1616-56) also depicted the saint (pictures 3 and 5 in this post).
To see Caravaggio’s Martyrdom of Saint Ursula before it returns to the Gallerie d’Italia Naples, visit the National Gallery before 21st July 2024. Entry is free but a timed ticket must be booked to enter the building.
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Bowood, a Georgian country house in Wiltshire, has remained in the Fitzmaurice family, the Earls of Shelburne, for over 250 years. The house, featuring interiors designed by Robert Adam (1728-92), is surrounded by vast grounds, including a garden created by the famous landscaper Lancelot “Capability” Brown (1716-83). Unfortunately, most of the house was demolished in 1956. The first Earl of Sherburne was created Marquess of Lansdowne in 1784. Today, the estate is owned by the ninth and present Marquess, Charles Petty-Fitzmaurice (b.1941).
The original Bowood house was constructed around 1725 in place of a hunting lodge by Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet (1678-1746), who acquired the property from the Crown. His grandfather, who served as the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, was granted the lease by Charles II (1630-85). However, Bridgeman faced financial difficulties, and in 1739, the house and park were acquired by his principal creditor, Richard Long, through a Chancery decree.
In 1754, Long sold the property to the first Earl of Shelburne, who enlisted the architect Henry Keene (1762-77) to expand the house. William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne (1737-1805), who served as Prime Minister from 1782 to 1783, was created Marquess of Lansdowne for negotiating peace with America after the War of Independence. He decorated Bowood with collections of paintings and classical sculptures. The designer, Robert Adam, added an orangery and a small menagerie for wild animals.
The “Big House” and the “Little House” at Bowood were connected by constructing an enormous drawing room in the 1770s. During World War I, the 5th Marchioness established an auxiliary Red Cross hospital in the orangery. The Royal Air Force occupied the Big House during World War II, after which it lay unoccupied and became dilapidated. In 1955, the 8th Marquess had it demolished, and the Little House was converted into a more comfortable home by architect F. Sortain Samuels. Many country houses suffered the same fate during that time. The Adam dining room was auctioned off before demolition and bought by the Lloyd’s of London insurance market. The room was dismantled and used to construct the Committee Room in its 1958 building. The room was later moved to the 11th floor of its present building on Lime Street in the City of London in 1986. The remaining parts of the main house received Grade I listed status in 1972.
A handful of rooms are open to visitors of Bowood House and Gardens, most notably the laboratory of Joseph Priestley (1733-1803), who discovered oxygen there on 1st August 1774. The year 2024 marks the 250th anniversary of the isolation of oxygen. The historic laboratory, now used as an ante-room to the Library, was a fully functional lab in the late eighteenth century. Dr. Priestley, who tutored the 1st Marquess’ two sons, identified oxygen through experiments. Dr. Jan Ingenhousz (1730-99) also conducted experiments in this same room, leading to the discovery of photosynthesis.
Before being employed by Lord Shelburne to catalogue his library and teach his sons, Joseph Priestly had already made several important discoveries. Lord Shelburne was Priestly’s patron, providing him with a home, income, and time to concentrate on his passion for “experimental philosophy”. In August 1774, Priestly experimented with a convex lens of 12 inches (30.5 cm) diameter to focus the sun’s rays on the ash of mercury, from which he observed a colourless air rising. “But what surprised me more than I can well express,” he wrote, “was that a candle burned in this air with a remarkably vigorous flame.” The following March, Priestly placed a mouse in a glass vessel containing the “new” air and observed that the mouse did not suffocate as quickly as mice in vessels containing “common” air. This “new” air was oxygen, which Priestly called “dephlogisticated air”.
Other rooms to explore include an ornate chapel designed by C.R. Cockerell (1788-1863) in the early 19th century. The chamber organ was installed in 2004, to commemorate the millennium; the pipes are set into an earlier case dating from the 18th century.
The Orangery, designed by Robert Adam in the 1760s to cultivate fruit, now serves as an art gallery. It features family portraits, including some that belonged to the 1st Marquess and Old Masters and 19th-century paintings purchased by the 3rd Marquess. A small exhibit related to Napoleon (1769-1821) came to the family through Emily Flahault, 4th Marchioness of Lansdowne (1819-95), whose father, the Comte de Flahault (1785-1870), served as Napoleon’s aide-de-camp.
The Library houses a collection of more than 5,000 books acquired by the 3rd Marquess. After dinner, guests gathered in the Library to read, play chess, sing, and discuss politics. Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and Thomas Moore (1779-1852) were among the many visitors.
Adam created the Sculpture Gallery as a menagerie or zoo, where a leopard and an orangutan were kept in the 18th century. In 1980, the present Marquis of Lansdowne converted it to house pieces from the Lansdowne sculpture collections. Among the classical marbles is a Roman copy of Myron’s Discobolus (discus thrower), which was wrongly restored in the 18th century.
Upstairs hosts many historical treasures, including Napoleon’s death mask, Queen Victoria‘s wedding chair, a collection of Indian objects and an early 19th-century Albanian costume worn by Lord Byron (1788-1824) in 1813.
The gardens at Bowood were laid out in the 1760s, covering over 2,000 acres (8 km2). They were designed by Capability Brown, who replaced the previous formal garden of avenues and wildernesses. The new design features a lake (almost 1 km long), with lawns that slope down from the house. In 2007, divers discovered the foundations of cottages forming the Mannings Hill hamlet, which were submerged in the lake.
Brown also created an arboretum of rare trees in the Pleasure Grounds behind the walled garden. The Doric Temple folly was moved to its present position beside the lake during this time.
In the 1780s, Charles Hamilton (1704-86) improved Brown’s design at Lady Shelburne’s request. Working with Josiah Lane, Hamilton added a cascade, grottoes and a hermit’s cave to the lakeside.
Bowood House is the residence of Simon Henry George Petty-Fitzmaurice, Earl of Kerry (b. 1970), who will inherit the title of 10th Marquess of Lansdowne after his father’s death. The family’s private rooms are not open to the public, and some parts of the garden are for guided tours only.
Bowood House and Gardens is open daily till 3rd November 2024. Various tickets are available, including a combined ticket for the house and gardens, or for the gardens alone.
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Dear Simeon, Local Sugar Baron, Dr Ivor Sweet, has gone missing, following local rumours that he is concocting an evil plan against the city. The Dodgy Doctor is thought to be secretly hacking into local food networks and changing their recipes to significantly increase the sugar content of all of Bath’s cakes, pastries and famous buns, in a desperate effort to increase his dwindling sales of sugar! This would be disastrous for the health of locals and visitors alike! Local police have found notes at Sweet’s Sugar Beet farm, which make up a series of clues hiding the code to secret files on his laptop. We need you, our top agent and cryptologist to solve the clues, crack the code, bring an end to the evil Doctor’s plan, and stop this impending cake-tastrophe! Love, Treasure Trails
For the third year running, Simeon’s skills were needed in the City of Bath to solve a big mystery. With his two brothers, Sammy and Ollie, in tow, Simeon the red-haired gibbon (toffee-coloured, if you please) made the long journey from London and wasted no time in beginning to crack the clues. Bath Abbey seemed like a natural place to begin, but after a quick sniff around the courtyard, Simeon found himself behind the magnificent building.
The Orange Grove, also known as Alkmaar Garden, is a small circular garden with traffic on all sides. In the middle sits an obelisk, erected in 1734 when the Prince of Orange, the future son-in-law of King George II (1683-1760), visited Bath. Simeon eyed the obelisk carefully, but it remained obstinately unforthcoming. Fortunately, a nearby plaque informed Simeon that the Mayor of Bath rededicated the garden on 23rd May 2003 to celebrate the friendship between Bath and Alkmaar, a city in the Netherlands. Towards the end of World War Two, Bath adopted Alkmaar as a sister city and raised funds to help the war-torn area.
After thoroughly searching Alkmaar Garden, Simeon carefully crossed the road to the Guildhall Building. The stone building has four Ionic columns and a central dome, making it an impressive sight. Simeon did not have time to see the interior of the Guildhall, which contains a grand banqueting hall with Corinthian columns, 18th-century chandeliers, and royal portraits. The room is often used for royal visits to the city, such as in May 2002 when Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) had lunch in the banqueting room.
The trail took Simeon over Pulteney Bridge, which he explored on previous trips to Bath. The bridge is named after Frances Pulteney, the first cousin once removed of William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath (1684-1764). When the Earl died, Frances inherited his estates and a significant amount of money. Her husband, William Johnstone (1729-1805), promptly changed his surname to Pulteney and made plans to create a new town, Bathwick, which eventually became a suburb of Bath. For easier access across the Avon, William Pulteney commissioned Robert Adam (1728-92) to design a bridge, who took inspiration from the Ponte Vecchio in Florence and the Ponte di Rialto in Venice. The original designs for Pulteney Bridge are in the Sir John Soane’s Museum in London. As of 2024, it is one of only four bridges containing shops across its entire span, the others being the aforementioned bridges in Italy and the Krämerbrücke in Erfurt, Germany.
Simeon sneaked across Pulteney Bridge with his brothers close on his heels. Suddenly, Simeon came to a halt, shocked at what lay before him. “Someone has filled the fountain with bubbles!” The fountain, which has sat in the middle of a quadrangle of houses known as Laura Place since 1877, had foam bubbles seeping over the edge.
The fountain was not part of the original plan for Laura Place. In 1805, proposals were made to erect a tall column, but the residents protested because it would dwarf the grand houses around it. The already erected plinth remained empty until 1877 when the Bath and Western Counties Agricultural Society installed a fountain to commemorate their centenary.
Laura Place is named after Henrietta Laura Pulteney (1766-1808), Sir William Pulteney’s granddaughter. Her father commissioned architect Robert Adam to design and oversee the building of the iconic Pulteney Bridge. Henrietta laid the foundation stone for Laura Place on 31st March 1788, and inherited the Pulteney estate in 1792 after her father’s death.
Not wishing to get distracted from his original mission, Simeon dragged a reluctant Sammy and Ollie away from the bubbling fountain. Apparently, the bubbles are a regular prank played by university students. Before the three detectives got far, something else caught their eye: a Penfold Hexagonal pillar box.
This Penfold Hexagonal pillar box from the Victorian era is a rare find, yet there are at least two in Bath. In 1866, architect J.W. Penfold (1828-1909) received the task of designing a new standardised pillar box. Cochrane, Grove & Co of Dudley manufactured these hexagonal boxes in three different sizes and adorned the top with acanthus leaves, buds, and decorative balls, naming them after their designer.
After stopping for a photograph, Simeon urged his brothers to keep moving, promising they could post some postcards to their friends later in the week. Ducking down a side road, the three brothers came across Henrietta Park, named after the same Henrietta Laura Pulteney as Laura Place. The land originally belonged to the Pulteney family, but in 1795, the estate was sold to the Bath Corporation and opened to the public as a pleasure garden.
In the early 20th century, the park underwent a major renovation by the landscape architect Thomas Hayton Mawson (1861-1933). He created a formal garden with a central fountain, a rose garden, and a sunken garden.
Sammy and Ollie could have spent hours playing in Henrietta Park, but Simeon knew time was of the essence and directed them out of a gate and back onto the street. Much to Ollie’s delight, their path took them into another park, Sydney Gardens.
Sydney Gardens is the only remaining eighteenth-century garden of its kind in the country. It was created as a commercial pleasure garden, with a variety of attractions, including a maze, grotto, sham castle, and an artificial rural scene with moving figures powered by a clockwork mechanism. Notable visitors included Jane Austen (1775-1817), but over time, the gardens fell into decline. In 1908, the local council purchased the site and reopened it as a public park.
The Sydney Hotel, built within the gardens, was the hub of entertainment. Today, it is the home of the Holburne Museum. The Kennet & Avon Canal was built through the gardens in 1810, and the Great Western Railway route was constructed in 1840. Simeon enjoyed seeing the trains and canal barges passing under the bridges around the gardens.
The Minerva’s Temple, which stands at a height of 12 metres (39 ft), was constructed in 1911 for the Festival of Empire held at The Crystal Palace, London. After the festival, it was moved to Sydney Gardens. The interior of the temple contains a wealth of information about the gardens, including the land’s original use as a Roman cemetery. In 2021, archaeologists discovered a stone sarcophagus containing two skeletons.
The information boards inside the temple also included drawings and posters from over 100 years ago. Simeon particularly liked a poster written to the children of Bath:
Children of Bath, Worry your Mothers to allow your Fathers to take you to Sydney Gardens, Next Thursday, 11th September – Great Doings there – and all for A SHILLING. The Last Gala. Promise them you won’t be naughty for at least a week. Such beautiful Fire Works, you can’t think – and such Illuminations, and Fire Balloons, and Funny Songs; and you’ll see Naples, with the Burning Mountain of Vesuvius; and London by Moonlight – and the grand railway, where they travel almost Fifty Miles an hour – and the great Fire of Bristol; then there’s a Congreve Rocket, a 38-Pounder, to be let off – they use ’em in wars, and kill all near. All this to be seen for only 1s. Therefore, worry your Mothers, I say; and if they don’t let you go, never be good again.
Unfortunately, the information inside the Minerva Temple did not help Simeon crack any clues, so he hurried off, soon arriving at Great Pulteney Street. Of course, Great Pulteney Street is named after Sir William Pulteney. Built between 1789 and 1794, it was designed to be one of the grandest and most elegant streets in Bath. Today, it remains the widest of Bath’s streets, with rows of terraced houses featuring ornate facades and tall sash windows on either side. The buildings are made of Bath stone, which gives them a distinctive golden colour.
Sydney Gardens sits at one end of Great Pulteney Street, with Pulteney Bridge at the other. Instead of crossing the bridge, Simeon ducked down a staircase that led to the river below. Here, Simeon had a fantastic view of the weir. Keeping his brother’s away from the water’s edge, Simeon carefully looked for clues.
The Pulteney Weir, located just downstream from Pulteney Bridge, was built in 1603 to prevent flooding in Bath by controlling the water level and regulating its flow. In the early 1970s, the weir was rebuilt with a more effective and iconic horseshoe-shaped design. An additional sluice and controlled floodgates also help regulate the water, but Simeon discovered further downstream that not all flooding is preventable. Where Simeon once stood last September is now covered with water!
“Let’s continue along the river,” said Simeon, looking around for his brothers. “Sammy? Ollie? Where are you?” Simeon soon found his brothers playing in the Beazer Garden Maze designed by Randoll Coate (1909-2005). It has only a single line, woven back and forth, which means it is a labyrinth despite its name. The Beazer Garden is named after the Bath-based construction company that donated the land. The labyrinth in Bath is inspired by the city’s Georgian architecture and Isambard Kingdom Brunel‘s (1806-59) railway designs. In the centre is a Roman-inspired mosaic.
No sooner had Simeon extricated his brothers from the labyrinth when they ran into another distraction. The Rec, short for the Recreation Ground, is leased by Bath Rugby as a sports ground. During rugby season it can accommodate up to 14,500 people, but in the summer, the East Stand is removed to make way for cricket games.
The Bath Hockey Club, Bath Croquet Club, Bath Drama Club, and Bath Quidditch Club also use the Rec. Simeon did a doubletake when he read the word Quidditch. “Isn’t that a game from Harry Potter?”
Quidditch has its origins in theHarry Potter series, but of course, the players cannot fly on broomsticks. In 2005, Xander Manshel and Alex Benepe founded the sport at Middlebury College in Vermont, and the first Quidditch World Cup took place in 2007. In July 2022, some teams changed the name of the sport to “quadball” to distance themselves from the fictional franchise.
Simeon took the opportunity to see the Rec from the viewing platform before continuing on his quest to stop the Evil Sugar Baron. In the past, the Rec was prone to flooding from the River Avon, but preventative measures are in place to limit such destruction.
After crossing back over the river via the North Parade Bridge, Simeon, Sammy and Ollie headed for the Church of St John the Evangelist. The church is a neo-gothic building constructed in the mid-19th century. The Pevsner Architectural Guide describes it as a “Lofty tower with spire and spirelets. Ambitious aisled nave with clerestory, transepts, broad polygonal apse with side apses. The exterior is rock-faced, in the interior circular pink granite piers with elaborate foliated capitals.” Simeon sneaked inside to have a look at the stained-glass windows and artwork. He also saw one of the priests decorating the church ready for Easter day.
With only a couple of clues left to solve, Simeon headed back in the direction of Bath Abbey, dodging the long queue of people hoping to get into Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House. Simeon, Sammy and Ollie had the pleasure of eating at the quaint establishment last year. It is also one of the oldest buildings in Bath, dating back to the 1480s. Sally Lunn’s is famous for its eponymous Sally Lunn bun, a light and fluffy bread similar to a brioche or a sweet roll. The bun is said to have been created by Sally Lunn, a French immigrant who came to Bath in the late 17th century and set up a bakery. Sally Lunn’s still serves the famous bun, which can be enjoyed plain, toasted, or with a variety of sweet or savoury toppings.
The interior of the eating house is just as charming as the food, with its low ceilings, exposed beams, and cosy nooks and crannies. In the basement, a small museum reveals more about the history of the building and the famous bun that made Sally Lunn’s a household name.
Finally, Simeon solved the last clue and cracked the code to Dr Ivor Sweet’s secret files. Thanks to Simeon and his brothers, all the bakeries in Bath have the correct recipes for their cakes, pastries and buns. Just to make sure, Simeon, Sammy and Ollie enjoyed a few cakes in the local establishments. They can confirm they were all delicious.
Simeon is looking forward to his next Treasure Trail. Why not have a go at solving a Treasure Trail with your friends? The trail can be purchased at www.treasuretrails.co.uk. Have fun!
Meet Simeon the red-haired gibbon (toffee-coloured, if you please) by following him on Instagram @theadventuresofsimeon.
Dame Nellie Melba was one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian era and early 20th century. She was the first Australian to become a world-famous classical musician. When she died in 1931, the English-speaking world mourned her loss, but her legacy lives on, not least through the dishes Peach Melba and Melba Toast.
Helen Porter Mitchell, the eldest of seven children of David Mitchell (1829-1916) and his wife Isabella Ann née Dow (d.1881), was born in Richmond, Victoria on 19th May 1861. Her father, a Scottish immigrant who became a successful builder, taught his daughter to play the piano, and she made her first public singing appearance at around six years old. Melba studied singing under Mary Ellen Christian (1848-1941) and Pietro Cecchi in Melbourne, from where she later took the “Melba” part of her stage name.
After moving to Mackay, Queensland, with her family, Melba quickly gained popularity in the local society due to her remarkable singing and piano skills. In 1882, she married Charles Nesbitt Frederick Armstrong (1858-1948) and had a son, George, in October 1833. Unfortunately, Armstrong became abusive, and they separated after just over a year.
Determined to pursue a career in singing, Melba returned to Melbourne and made her professional debut in concerts in 1884. She often performed with flautist John Lemmone (1861-1949), who became a lifelong friend and advisor. Melba travelled to Paris to study with renowned teacher Mathilde Marchesi (1821-1913), who quickly recognized her talent. After less than a year, Melba signed a ten-year contract with impresario Maurice Strakosch (1825-87).
Following her operatic debut in Brussels, she performed as Gilda in Rigoletto at La Monnaie in 1887, which was a resounding success. It was during this time that, on Marchesi’s suggestion, she adopted the stage name “Melba,” derived from the name of her hometown.
Melba debuted at Covent Garden in May 1888, where she performed the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor. Her performance received a friendly but not overly enthusiastic reception. The Musical Times described her as a “fluent vocalist” and “a quite respectable representative of light soprano parts,” but noted that she lacked the personal charm necessary for a great figure on the lyric stage. This critique left Melba offended, especially when she was offered only the role of the page Oscar in Un ballo in maschera for the next season at Covent Garden. As a result, she left England with a vow never to return.
The following year, Melba performed at the Opéra in Paris, taking on the role of Ophélie in Hamlet. The Times proclaimed her performance as “a brilliant success,” praising her voice’s flexibility and her expressive and striking acting. Despite the setback in London, Melba found a strong supporter in Lady Gwladys de Grey (1859-1917), whose influence at Covent Garden convinced Melba to return. She was cast in Roméo et Juliette in June 1889, co-starring with Jean de Reszke (1850-25). Melba later credited this performance as the turning point in her London success, stating, “I date my success in London quite distinctly from the great night of 15th June 1889.” Following this, she returned to Paris, taking on various roles in operas such as Lucia di Lammermoor, Rigoletto, Faust, and Juliette.
In the early 1890s, Melba had a romantic relationship with Prince Philippe, Duke of Orléans (1869-1926). Their frequent appearances together in London sparked gossip, and more suspicion arose when the Duke followed Melba to St. Petersburg where she performed for Tsar Nicholas II. They were also seen together in Paris, Brussels, Vienna, and St. Petersburg, prompting her ex-husband to initiate divorce proceedings, citing Melba’s adultery and naming the Duke as the co-respondent. Although Armstrong eventually dropped the case, Melba and the Duke terminated their relationship.
In 1893, Melba performed the role of Nedda in Pagliacci at Covent Garden. The composer, Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857-1919), who was in attendance, remarked that the role had never been portrayed so well. Later that year, Melba debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She received praise from The New York Times for her “loveliest voice” and became the leading prima donna of the time, following in the footsteps of Adelina Patti (1843-1919).
After achieving stardom in Britain and America, Melba embarked on her first return visit to Australia in 1902 for a concert tour, including stops in New Zealand. The tour was highly profitable, leading her to undertake four more tours in her career. In Britain, Melba actively promoted Puccini’s La bohème, despite initial resistance from the Covent Garden management.
Between 1898 and 1926, Melba gave 26 performances at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Even though she considered Covent Garden her “artistic home”, her appearances there became less frequent in the 20th century, partly due to her strained relationship with Sir Thomas Beecham (1879-1961), who controlled the opera house. Another reason for her reduced appearances at Covent Garden was the emergence of Luisa Tetrazzini (1871-1940), a younger soprano. Her decision to spend more time in Australia also contributed to her fewer performances in London. In 1909, Melba embarked on a “sentimental tour” of Australia, covering 10,000 miles, including many remote towns.
In 1909, Melba purchased land in Coldstream, a small town near Melbourne. In 1912, she extended an existing cottage, which she named Coombe Cottage, inspired by a house she had rented near London. While there, Melba established a music school, later merging it into the Melbourne Conservatorium. After the outbreak of the First World War in Australia, she dedicated herself to fundraising for war charities and successfully raised £100,000. In recognition of her efforts, she was appointed as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in March 1918 for her patriotic work.
After the war, Melba returned to the Royal Opera House with a performance of La bohème to mark the reopening of the house after four years of closure. The Times reported, “Probably no season at Covent Garden has ever started with quite the thrill of enthusiasm which passed through the house.”
In 1922, Melba performed at the highly successful “Concerts for the People” in Melbourne and Sydney, attracting 70,000 people. In 1926, she made her final appearance at Covent Garden, singing in scenes from Roméo et Juliette, Otello, and La bohème, after which she returned to Australia for numerous “farewell” appearances, including stage performances in the mid-1920s and concerts in Sydney, Melbourne and Geelong in 1928. As a result, she is the inspiration behind the Australian saying “more farewells than Dame Nellie Melba.”
HMV recorded and broadcast Melba’s farewell concert at Covent Garden. Following the performance, Lord Stanley of Alderley (1875-1931) delivered a formal address, and Melba gave an emotional farewell speech. The recording of the event was a pioneering venture, with eleven sides captured via a landline to Gloucester House in London, although only three of these were eventually published. Technical limitations of the early recording process, including variations in recording speeds and studio conditions, have made it challenging to reproduce her recordings at their original speed and pitch.
Melba’s initial recordings were produced circa 1895 on cylinders at the Bettini Phonograph Lab in New York. Although a journalist praised them as “truly wonderful” and particularly highlighted her impressive high notes, Melba was dissatisfied with the result and ordered the recordings to be destroyed. For eight years, she avoided recording studios.
From 1904 to 1926, Melba made numerous gramophone records in England and America, primarily featuring operatic arias, duets, ensemble pieces, and songs. Despite the poor audio quality of these recordings, they highlight Melba’s exceptional talents as a singer. On 15th June 1920, Melba sang on a pioneering radio broadcast from Guglielmo Marconi’s (1874-1937) New Street Works factory in Chelmsford, making her the first artist of international renown to participate in direct radio broadcasts.
In 1929, she made her final trip to Europe before visiting Egypt, where she contracted a fever from which she never fully recovered. Her last performance was at a charity concert in London on 10th June 1930. Although she returned to Australia, she passed away in 1931 at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney at the age of 69 due to septicaemia, a complication from facial surgery she had undergone earlier in Europe. Her funeral took place at Scots’ Church in Melbourne, a church her father had constructed and where she had sung in the choir as a teenager. The funeral procession extended over a kilometre, and her passing made headlines in Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Europe, where billboards read, “Melba is dead”. Melba was laid to rest in the cemetery at Lilydale, near Coldstream. Her headstone, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944), features the parting words of Mimì in La bohème: “Addio, senza rancor” (Farewell, without bitterness).
During her career, Melba actively supported younger singers and dedicated many years to teaching at the Conservatorium in Melbourne. Melba even authored a book outlining her methods. The book begins with the statement, “It is easy to sing well, and very difficult to sing badly!”
Dame Nellie Melba achieved numerous accolades and honours during her lifetime and after her death. In April 1927, she became the first Australian to grace the cover of Time magazine. This milestone solidified her position as a trailblazer and cultural ambassador for Australia.
The Melbourne Conservatorium changed its name to the Melba Memorial Conservatorium of Music in 1956. Similarly, the music hall at the University of Melbourne carries the name Melba Hall. A suburb in Canberra also bears her name, and her portrait appears on the Australian $100 note.
Melba’s impact extended beyond her native country, as evidenced by the tributes dedicated to her in various parts of the world. In London, a stained glass window was erected in 1962 at the Musicians’ Memorial Chapel of St Sepulchre-without-Newgate. Additionally, she is one of only two singers, alongside Adelina Patti, to be commemorated with a marble bust on the grand staircase of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. In Kingston upon Thames, a blue plaque stands at Coombe House, Devey Close, where Melba lived in 1906.
Dame Nellie Melba’s legacy also lives on through various culinary and botanical tributes, for instance, the creation of dishes such as Peach Melba, Melba sauce, Melba toast, and Melba Garniture. A golden poplar tree, “Melba’s poplar,” stands in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens.
Melba’s autobiography, Melodies and Memories, was released in 1925 with the help of her reluctant secretary Beverley Nichols (1898-1983), who also authored the novel Evensong (1932), drawing from aspects of Melba’s life to paint an unflattering portrayal. The subsequent 1934 film adaptation was temporarily banned in Australia.
In 1946, Crawford Productions created a radio series about Melba, starring Glenda Raymond (1922-2003), who later became one of the founding singers of the Australian Opera in 1956. A few biographical films and television shows have been released since. Melba was also portrayed by Kiri Te Kanawa (born 1944) in an episode of the British ITV television show Downton Abbey (2013), where she performed as a guest of Lord and Lady Grantham.
Long after her death, Dame Nellie Melba remains a well-known name. Despite mixed opinions about the singer, as evidenced in Beverly Nichols’ novel, Melba helped to establish Australia in the operatic world, and many have since followed in her footsteps.
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Renowned for his captivating portrait paintings, Tate Britain’s exhibition Sargent and Fashion explores the acclaimed works of John Singer Sargent, delving into his unique approach to portraying his subjects. Sargent used fashion to express identity and character and often chose his subjects’ attire or manipulated their clothing to achieve his desired artistic effect. The exhibition features nearly 60 of Sargent’s paintings, including rarely exhibited portraits. Additionally, period garments are displayed alongside the portraits in which they were worn.
Before John Singer Sargent’s birth on 12th January 1856, his father, FitzWilliam, worked as an eye surgeon at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. Following the loss of his older daughter, Fitzwilliam’s wife, Mary, experienced a breakdown, prompting the family to go abroad to recover. From then on, they lived as nomadic expatriates, primarily based in Paris but regularly moving to different European locations. Although they led a modest and quiet life, they avoided society and other Americans, except for friends in the art world. During their time abroad, six more children were born, but only four of them lived past childhood, including John Singer Sargent.
Although his father provided a basic education, Sargent preferred outdoor activities over his studies. Despite several unsuccessful attempts at formal schooling due to their nomadic lifestyle, Sargent became fluent in English, French, Italian, and German. His mother, an amateur artist, and his father, a medical illustrator, provided him with sketchbooks. His mother believed travelling throughout Europe and visiting museums and churches would provide Sargent with a well-rounded education. Sargent diligently worked on his drawings, often copying images and sketching landscapes. At thirteen, Sargent received watercolour lessons from Carl Welsch, a German landscape painter.
After an unsuccessful attempt to study at the Academy of Florence, Sargent began studying with the French portraitist Carolus-Duran (1837-1917) in Paris. In 1874, Sargent passed the exam required for admission to the École des Beaux-Arts, the premier art school in France, and took drawing classes, including anatomy and perspective. Sargent shared a studio with James Carroll Beckwith (1852-1917), who helped him connect with other American artists abroad.
Carolus-Duran taught Sargent the alla prima method, which, inspired by Diego Velázquez (1599-1660), involved working directly on the canvas with a loaded brush. This technique differed significantly from traditional ateliers, but Sargent soon impressed his peers with his exceptional talent, which allowed him to meet prominent figures in the art world, including Degas, Rodin, Monet, and Whistler. Despite his initial focus on landscapes, Sargent’s interest gradually shifted towards portraiture. Sargent’s first major portrait, depicting his friend Fanny Watts in 1877, marked his debut at the Paris Salon.
Following his time with Carolus-Duran, Sargent travelled to Spain, where he immersed himself in the works of Velázquez, absorbing the master’s technique and gathering inspiration for his own future pieces. Upon returning to Paris, Sargent quickly gained numerous portrait commissions, thus launching his career. In between commissions, he produced many non-commissioned portraits of friends and colleagues.
In the early 1880s, Sargent regularly exhibited portraits at the Salon, such as Madame Ramón Subercaseaux (1881). Amalia Subercaseaux and her husband Ramón, a diplomat, were some of the first clients of Sargent in Paris. Sargent portrayed Amalia as a fashionable woman, comfortable in her elegant home. Her white afternoon dress, featuring a long, buttoned bodice and pleated organza skirt, was adorned with black velvet, ribbon, and lace. Amalia’s pose, seated at the piano but turned towards the viewer, highlighted the train of her dress for maximum impact.
In Portrait of Madame X, Sargent depicts Virginie Gautreau (1859-1915) in a graceful pose that evokes classical sculpture. Although she was American, Gautreau lived in France and was celebrated in Parisian high society for her striking looks, which she accentuated with dramatic gowns and bold white makeup. Sargent persuaded her to sit for a portrait, promising to create “a tribute to her beauty.”
Although Portrait of Madame X is now one of Sargent’s most celebrated paintings, it is also his most controversial work. The first version of the portrait of Madame Gautreau featured an intentionally suggestive off-the-shoulder dress strap on her right side, creating a more daring and sensual overall effect. Sargent later repainted the strap to its over-the-shoulder position to reduce the controversy, but the damage had been done. It led to a decline in French commissions, and in 1885, Sargent considered giving up painting and going into music or business.
Observing the reactions of critics towards the original Portrait of Madame X, French poet Judith Gautier (1845-1917) wrote, “Is it a woman? a chimaera, the figure of a unicorn rearing as on a heraldic coat of arms or perhaps the work of some oriental decorative artist to whom the human form is forbidden and who, wishing to be reminded of woman, has drawn the delicious arabesque? No, it is none of these things, but rather the precise image of a modern woman scrupulously drawn by a painter who is a master of his art.”
Before the Madame X scandal, Sargent had considered moving to London and even sent paintings to the Royal Academy of Arts. One such painting, Dr Pozzi at Home (1881), depicts Samuel-Jean Pozzi (1846-1918), a Parisian doctor and gynaecology specialist associated with avant-garde art circles, who typically wore fashionable tailored suits. In a departure from the norm for portraits of professional men, Sargent portrayed him in an intimate domestic setting, dressed in a crimson dressing gown and Turkish slippers before a dark red curtain.
In England, Sargent spent more time painting outdoors than in the studio. His first success in the country was Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose (1886), which helped to establish his reputation in Britain. Sargent spent over two years working on the painting, with most of the work done outdoors to capture the light as he desired. The inspiration for the painting came from Chinese lanterns hanging among trees and beds of lilies, which he saw while staying with friends in the Cotswolds. He then added the figures of two girls lighting the lanterns, both wearing specially made white dresses for the painting.
During his first trip to New York and Boston as a professional artist in the late 1880s, Sargent received over 20 important commissions, including portraits of Isabella Stewart Gardner, who became his patron. While in Boston, Sargent had his first solo exhibition, showcasing 22 paintings.
Upon returning to London, Sargent resumed his busy schedule. While some portraits were done in the client’s home, most were completed in his well-stocked studio, furnished with carefully chosen items for the desired effect. Unlike many artists, Sargent rarely used pencil or oil sketches, opting to apply oil paint directly. He also managed all tasks, including preparing canvases, varnishing the paintings, arranging for photography, shipping, and documentation.
In 1890, Sargent produced two non-commissioned portraits as show pieces for the Royal Academy, of which he became a full member in 1893. The first depicted Ellen Terry, a renowned British actress, as the Shakespeare character Lady Macbeth. Terry not only captivated audiences with her talent but also served as an inspiration to numerous artists and writers. When Sargent attended the premiere of Macbeth on 27th December 1888, he was so moved that he decided to create her portrait. Originally intending to depict a scene from the play, Sargent instead chose to portray Terry in a striking pose that highlighted her magnificent costume.
The second of these non-commissioned portraits was La Carmencita (1890). Carmen Dauset Moreno (1868-1910), also known as Carmencita, was a celebrated Spanish dancer who performed in the United States, Europe, and South America. Sargent was greatly impressed by her performances and had the opportunity to see her dance in New York on several occasions. He even painted her in a studio that he had borrowed, and she also danced at a private party in his studio in 1895. Carmencita was known for her dynamic and intricate movements, but Sargent portrayed her in a more static pose.
In the 1890s, Sargent averaged fourteen portrait commissions per year, including Mrs Hugh Hammersley and Lady Agnew of Lochnaw. Sargent formed a close friendship with Mary Hammersley (1863-1902), who often hosted him at her London residence, where he would mingle with fellow artists such as Walter Sickert (1860-1942). Sargent depicted her wearing a cherry silk velvet gown adorned with gold lace at the cuffs, hem, and neckline. Mary fondly recalled her experience of sitting for Sargent, noting that on some days, he would be entirely consumed by his work, while on others, he would charm everyone with his piano-playing skills. Portraits such as Hammersley’s inspired sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) to describe him as “the Van Dyck of our time”.
Lady Agnew (Gertrude Vernon, 1864-1932) welcomed Sargent into her London home to discuss her portrait and consider a variety of gowns. Eventually, they settled on a white silk gown with sheer organza sleeves and lavender trimmings. Sargent painted swiftly, completing the work in just six sittings, using long diagonal strokes to capture the purple sash and the light and shadow on the fabric of her lap. The portrait received great praise when exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1893, solidifying Sargent’s standing in Britain and leading to his election as a member of the Royal Academy soon after.
Sargent painted three portraits of novelist Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-94), including one with the author’s wife. Sargent became acquainted with Stevenson (1850–1894) in his early days in Paris. The joint portrait of husband and wife was completed in Stevenson’s residence in Bournemouth, England, during the peak of his literary success. In the painting, Sargent captures Stevenson’s restless energy, depicting him as “walking about and talking.” Stevenson is walking away from his wife, Fanny Stevenson (1840–1914), who is dressed in exotic attire and appears to be a peripheral and seemingly passive figure despite her strong personality. During the Victorian era, it was common for people to wear clothing from other cultures, often without consideration for the origins of the garments.
During his career as a portraitist, Sargent painted two Presidents of the United States of America, Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) and Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924). Sargent’s portrait of Wilson is less ostentatious than other portraits. The painting was created during the First World War when Sargent contributed a blank canvas to a fundraising effort for the British Red Cross. He agreed to paint a portrait if someone offered £10,000, and the successful bidder could nominate the sitter. Irish dealer and collector Sir Hugh Lane (1875-1915) offered to pay the amount but passed away before choosing a subject. He left his estate to the National Gallery of Ireland, which decided on President Wilson as the nominee.
In 1898, a wealthy Jewish art dealer named Asher Wertheimer (1843-1918), who lived in London, commissioned Sargent to create a series of twelve portraits of his family. It became the artist’s largest commission from a single patron. Sargent depicted Ena and Betty, the eldest Wertheimer daughters, in the family’s drawing room. Betty wore a striking red velvet evening gown and held an open fan, while Ena dressed in shimmering white satin. Sargent also painted a portrait of Ena dressed as a cavalier, holding a broomstick as a sword. In another painting, the younger sister, Almina, opted to wear a Turkish robe to emphasise the family were Ashkenazi Jews. British culture stereotypically exoticised Ashkenazi Jews by depicting them in typical Eastern clothing.
One of Sargent’s final notable sitters was Thomas Lister (1854-1925), an esteemed politician and huntsman who inherited the title of fourth Baron Ribblesdale from his father. Lord Ribblesdale embodied the spirit of the Edwardian aristocracy and was known for his meticulous attention to his appearance. After careful consideration, Sargent decided to portray Ribblesdale in his distinctive “ratcatcher” hunting attire, which he regularly wore, rather than a typical riding outfit.
In 1907, at fifty-one, Sargent decided to close his studio for good. He expressed relief, saying, “Painting a portrait would be quite amusing if one were not forced to talk while working… What a nuisance having to entertain the sitter and to look happy when one feels wretched.” Between 1906 and 1913, Sargent made several trips to the Swiss Alps with his sisters, Emily Sargent (1857-1936), a talented painter, and Violet Sargent (Mrs Ormond) (1870-1955), along with Violet’s daughters Rose-Marie and Reine. These family members became the subjects of several of Sargent’s paintings, such as Nonchaloir (Repose) (1911).
Sargent depicted Rose-Marie Ormond reclining, possibly asleep, on a sofa within an unidentified and opulent interior adorned with ornate French furniture. The focal point of the scene is the fabric. The sofa is draped with a dark patterned fabric, mirroring the design of the Kashmiri shawl enveloping Rose-Marie. The French title ‘Nonchaloir’ can be translated to mean indifference or a lack of concern.
Throughout his extensive career, Sargent created over 2,000 watercolour paintings while travelling across various locations such as the English countryside, Venice, the Tyrol, Corfu, the Middle East, Montana, Maine, and Florida. Through his watercolours, Sargent indulged in his early artistic passions for nature, architecture, exotic cultures, and mountain landscapes. Sargent also depicted his family, friends, gardens, and fountains in watercolour, often portraying them in Orientalist attire, set against brightly lit landscapes that allowed for a more vibrant colour palette than his commissioned works.
In 1907, Sargent journeyed to the Italian Alps, accompanied by an array of clothing likely obtained during his travels in West Asia. In The Chess Game (1907), Rose-Marie is depicted playing chess by a stream, dressed in a Turkish entari, pink slippers and pantaloons, and a draped cashmere shawl. Meanwhile, Sargent’s valet, Nicola d’Inverno, wearing Turkish şalvar (loose trousers) and a long jacket, is seated beside her. Similar to previous European artists, Sargent utilized traditional West Asian attire to craft a whimsical scene detached from the original context of these garments.
Sargent lived as a lifelong bachelor, maintaining a wide circle of friends, including Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), his neighbour of several years. While biographers once depicted him as reserved, recent scholarship suggests he was a private, complex, and passionate man with a possible homosexual identity. Sargent also had a reputation as “the painter of the Jews”, influenced by his empathy for their shared social otherness. Despite the homosexual rumours, Sargent had numerous relationships with women.
Sargent helped establish the Grand Central Art Galleries in New York City in 1922, where a significant retrospective exhibit of Sargent’s work took place in 1924. Following this, he returned to England and passed away at his Chelsea home on 14th April 1925 due to heart disease. Sargent was buried in Brookwood Cemetery near Woking, Surrey.
John Singer Sargent’s portraits not only depict Victorian and Edwardian fashion, but they also document the end of an era. Sargent stopped painting most commissioned portraits in 1907, turning his hand to large-scale mural projects and First World War scenes. By the 1920s, fashion changed due to the widespread availability of ready-to-wear clothing. No longer were women wearing the fitted garments in Sargent’s paintings.
Tate Britain celebrates Sargent as a skilled artist with an eye for fashion. His attention to detail records the colours, textures and weights of fabrics available in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He also demonstrated that clothing can reveal a great deal about a sitter.
Sargent and Fashion is open at Tate Britain until 7th July 2024. Tickets cost £22, although concessions are available. Advanced booking is recommended.
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Located approximately 3 miles (5 km) southwest of Tetbury, Gloucestershire, Westonbirt, The National Arboretum is a picturesque arboretum managed by Forestry England. It forms part of the Westonbirt House estate established during the height of Victorian plant hunting in the mid-19th century. The arboretum is listed as Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest making it a must-visit destination for nature lovers, historians, and anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Westonbirt Arboretum has a rich history dating back to the 13th century. Evidence of coppicing at the site dates back to 1292, while the first use of the name “Weston Birt” was recorded in 1309. The name was derived from “Weston”, a settlement located west of Bowldown Road, and “Birt”, the family name of the then lords of the manor, the Bret family.
The arboretum’s story truly began with Robert Stayner Holford (1808-92), a wealthy Victorian landowner whose ambitious project included rebuilding Westonbirt House, now Westonbirt Schools, and creating formal pleasure gardens, including the picturesque arboretum.
During the Victorian era, the plant world was exploding with new and exotic species, thanks to plant hunters like David Douglas (1799-1834), who travelled the globe, bringing back rare and beautiful plants from the farthest reaches of the British Empire. Holford financed plant-collecting expeditions to find the rarest and most extraordinary plants, many of which can still be found in the arboretum today.
Rather than arranging the plants by species or native geographic location, Holford planted his arboretum aesthetically, following the Picturesque movement that was popular in the art world. Westonbirt Arboretum is a display of Holford’s aesthetic vision.
The Old Arboretum had been designed by 1855, which included the Main Drive, Specimen Avenue, and three main rides – Holford Ride, Morley Ride, and Jackson Avenue. Sir George Lindsay Holford (1860-1926) took over the arboretum’s development from his elderly father in the 1880s. George expanded the arboretum to Silk Wood, planting new species amidst the centuries-old woodland. He also created vast drives with wide verges and bays of ornamental trees and was responsible for the rhododendrons and maples that Westonbirt Arboretum is known for today.
Following George’s demise in 1926, his nephew, Edmund Parker, the fourth Earl of Morley (1877-1951), took over the arboretum’s ownership. In 1956, the Forestry Commission became the owner, and in 2019, Forestry England took over. Westonbirt House, which belonged to the Holford family, became a boarding school for girls in 1927.
Westonbirt Arboretum spans approximately 600 acres, comprising some 15,000 trees and shrubs, with 2,500 species of tree from all over the world. Its 17 miles of marked paths are popular with visitors, providing access to rare plants. The arboretum has two main areas to explore – The Old Arboretum and Silk Wood. The Old Arboretum offers beautiful vistas, stately avenues, and a host of rare and exotic trees from across the globe dating back to the 1850s. Silk Wood, on the other hand, is a very different experience. It also contains many exotic plants, but at its heart is a traditional working woodland, dating back to the 13th century. Each specimen tree throughout the arboretum is labelled either on the trunk or a low-hanging branch. Westonbirt’s “champion trees”, the tallest or largest of their kind in Britain, are labelled with blue tags.
The Japanese maple cultivars at Westonbirt Arboretum started in the early 1980s and now contain around 297 cultivars. Japanese maple is a deciduous woody plant indigenous to Korea, Japan, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. It is a small tree that can reach heights of 6 to 10 meters, rarely up to 16 meters, with a width of 4.5 to 10 meters. The leaves are palmately lobed with five, seven, or nine pointed lobes, and the flowers have five red or purple sepals and five whitish petals.
Since the 1870s, maples have been an integral part of the arboretum. During spring, their flowers bloom, and their young leaves explode in a range of colours. With between 100 and 200 species, most maples are native to Asia, but some are found in Europe, Northern Africa, and North America. The name of the genus “Acer” comes from a Latin word meaning “sharp,” which is attributed to the sharp points on maple leaves. This genus was first classified by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656-1708), a French botanist, in 1700.
The Bladdernut genus comprises a small number of plants, including only 11 species and some cultivars. These plants exhibit beautiful white flowers in the spring, sometimes with a pinkish tint. The shrub also bears singular, bladder-like seed pods, which remain on the plant until the winter months.
Westonbirt Arboretum boasts a collection of over 40 different genera of lime trees. Their rarest specimen is the Chinese lime. In North America, these trees are commonly referred to as linden, while in Britain, they are called lime. The names have roots in the Germanic word lind. The English language has evolved from the original Germanic forms linde or linne, which were used in Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse. Over time, the term lime emerged as the modern form.
Lime species are deciduous trees that can grow quite large, typically between 20 and 40 meters tall. The goddess Freya was associated with the Lime tree by the Germanic tribes, who would often hold their assemblies near or under the tree. These assemblies were used to make laws and typically lasted three days.
There are several genera in the walnut family, such as walnuts, wingnuts, and hickories. Although the arboretum has approximately 25 different types of walnut trees, the most remarkable is the hybrid wingnut, which stands on the edge of the Downs in the Old Arboretum.
Juglans is the genus to which the walnut trees are found in the northern hemisphere, including regions stretching from Europe to the Himalayas and southwest China. In America, they are spread across various places, from Canada to Argentina. They can grow up to 10 to 40 meters (30 to 130 ft) in height and are often used for timber. The wood is very durable and has a dark colour, making it a popular choice for furniture.
Exploring Westonbirt Arboretum can take an entire day. Guided tours are available throughout the day, or visitors can explore at their own pace. A Tree Top Walkway provides a closer look at some of the many species of trees on offer. There are also activities for children, a cafe, a restaurant and a gift shop. Admission tickets cost £16 for adults, £12 for young people between 18 and 25, and £4 for children aged five and over.
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Described as “the most cultivated woman in Europe”, Angelica Kauffman was one of two female painters among the founding members of the Royal Academy in London in 1768. Until 30th June 2024, the RA celebrates Kauffman’s work and legacy in a small exhibition in their Jillian and Arthur M. Sackler Wing.
Maria Anna Angelika Kauffmann was born at Chur in Graubünden, Switzerland, on 30th October 1741, although her family relocated to Austria and Italy during her childhood. Her father, Joseph Johann Kauffmann (1707-82), worked as a muralist and painter and needed to travel for work. Kauffmann learnt to paint from her father and became his assistant at a young age. She also proved herself a child prodigy, learning to speak and sing in German, Italian, French and English with her mother, Cleophea Lutz.
Kauffman aspired to either paint or become an opera singer, but a Catholic priest deterred her from the latter. By age 12, Kauffman had a reputation for portraiture and painted several bishops and nobles. Her mother’s death in 1757 also influenced her career path because she had no choice but to follow her father to Italy, where she joined the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze in 1762. While in Florence, Kauffman studied Neoclassical painting, then the Old Masters in Naples, before sending her first painting to a public exhibition in London. After this, her popularity grew, particularly with British tourists, which prompted her eventual move to England.
Shortly before she arrived in England, Kauffman painted David Garrick (1717-79), Britain’s leading playwright and actor. This painting acted as Kauffman’s calling card, increasing her fame in London. Her popularity and connections eased Kauffman into society, where she befriended the likes of Joshua Reynolds (1723-92), who became the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts.
Soon after arriving in Britain, Kauffman married Frederick de Horn, a man posing as a Swedish Count. Within a year, Kauffman separated from her husband after discovering his real name was Brandt and that he already had a wife in Germany.
Kauffman’s unsuccessful marriage did not impact her career. Her signature features on the petition to King George III for the establishment of the Royal Academy, and with Mary Moser (1744-1819), she appears as one of the two females in the RA’s first catalogue of 1769. Around this time, Kauffman spent a lot of time in Ireland, painting portraits of notable clients, including Philip Tisdall, the Attorney General for Ireland, and Jean-Paul Marat.
From 1769 until 1782, Kauffman was an annual exhibitor with the Royal Academy. She generally produced history paintings, which was unusual for women. Many considered history painting the most elite and academic of the painting styles and beyond female comprehension. Despite this, the RA appreciated Kauffman’s painting skills and commissioned her to paint four oval paintings for the ceiling of the Council Room at Somerset House.
Kauffman’s four oval paintings represent Reynold’s theory of the ‘Elements of Art’. Kauffman depicted the four elements of art as women, which was uncommon as Design was traditionally portrayed as a man. The women are physically engaged in creating in Design and Colouring, whereas they are shown in contemplation for Composition and Invention. In the painting of Design, Kauffman featured the Belvedere Torso, one of the best-known classical sculptures of the time. The Royal Academy owned a plaster cast of the sculpture.
The figure representing Colour is dressed in white and ochre with a red mantle. In her left hand, she holds a palette and paintbrushes, while with the upraised right hand, she is stealing some pigment from the rainbow above her head. The figure is sitting on a grassy ledge with a chameleon at her feet, which alludes to the ability to change the colour and appearance of things.
Invention is depicted as an imposing allegorical female figure with two wings on the top of her head, and her right arm is leaning on a celestial orb. Her upward gaze and raised arm suggest her capability for higher thoughts. Composition is shown resting her head on her hand. The image also alludes to intellectual activities such as chess.
Although Kauffman remained popular for her portraits, her British audience was less enamoured with her history paintings, so she returned to mainland Italy, where the genre was better established. In 1781, her estranged, bigamist husband passed away, allowing Kauffman to marry again. She married the Venetian painter Antonio Zucchi (1726-95), whom she knew through the Royal Academy. Together, they settled and worked in Rome for the remainder of their lives.
Kauffman combined her love of portraits and history paintings by portraying sitters as mythical characters. She did the same for the self-portrait Self-Portrait Hesitating Between Painting and Music (1794). Kauffman stands between two figures representing the arts of music and painting, alluding to the story of Hercules at the crossroads and his choice between a life of vice or one of virtue. The painting, dedicated to her mother, recalls Kauffman’s choice between pursuing painting or opera singing.
An example of Kauffman’s history paintings is Ariadne Abandoned by Theseus (not shown in the current RA exhibition). It depicts Ariadne draped in sheer white fabric, lying on a low cushion bed with a vibrant red blanket with gold tassels underneath her. Her pose represents despair as she shields her face with one hand while the other reaches out in distress. Her back is to the sea, where Theseus’s ship is heading towards the soft pink horizon.
Ariadne, a character from Greek mythology, was the daughter of Minos, the king of Crete. She was responsible for overseeing the labyrinth where seven Athenians were sacrificed to the Minotaur every few years. Theseus was one of the Athenians chosen for sacrifice, but Ariadne fell in love with him and helped him navigate the labyrinth using a thread and kill the Minotaur. There are many variations of the story, but in each one, Theseus leaves Ariadne after defeating the beast. In one version, a distressed Ariadne hangs herself, while in another, she is left to die on the Island of Naxos. In the third version, Bacchus (Dionysus) finds her and marries her.
Kauffman did not usually paint religious topics, but Christ and the Samaritan Woman at the Well (1795) is a rare exception. It depicts the scene related in the Gospel of John, Chapter 4, in which Jesus asks a Samaritan woman for a drink of water. The relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans was complex, and many regarded them as foreigners and treated them with hostility. The Gospel of John shows a more favourable opinion of the Samaritans and thus includes this incident. Initially, the Samaritan woman felt unsure about speaking to Jesus. She said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” Jesus went on to tell her about “living water”, using it as an analogy for God.
Angelica Kauffman died on 5th November 1807, aged 66. Christ and the Samaritan Woman at the Well was one of two paintings carried during the funeral procession directed by Italian sculptor Antonio Canova (1757-1822). Canova designed her funeral based on the funeral of the Renaissance master Raphael. A close friend of Kauffman, the architect Joseph Bonomi (1739-1808), described the funeral in detail in a letter, which took place at the Church of S. Andrea delli Fratti. Fifty Capuchins priests accompanied the funeral procession, some of whom carried the funeral bier. Four ladies held the corners of the cloth over the coffin, while four “Gentlemen of the Academy” held the tassels.
For over a century, Kauffman’s paintings remained on display in galleries across Europe. That is still the case today, although her popularity declined during the 20th century. In 2007, the Angelika Kauffmann Museum in Schwarzenberg, Austria, near the border of Switzerland, opened its doors. Housed in an old Kleberhaus (farmhouse), the museum regularly changes its exhibits to unveil different aspects and themes of her artistic work. Many of her paintings were shown publically for the first time at this museum.
In a world that is acknowledging the lack of representation of women in the past, Angelica Kauffman is a hero. After Kauffman and Mary Moser joined the Royal Academy in 1768, it was 168 years before another woman was allowed through the door. Even then, it had to be voted on several times until the outcome swung in favour of female applicants. Kauffman achieved what many women would not do for over a hundred years. She joined an all-male establishment, exhibited under her own name and produced paintings of topics deemed unfeminine. Kauffman proved what women could achieve, but sadly, it took a male-oriented society much longer to acknowledge.
The RA’s Angelica Kauffman exhibition provides an insight into a lesser-known painter who deserves as much attention and praise as other academicians. The RA showcases Kauffman’s journey from her rise to fame in London to her role as a founding member of the Royal Academy and her later career in Rome. Alongside Kauffman’s paintings are preparatory drawings and letters that help to unravel the remarkable life of “the most cultivated woman in Europe.”
The Angelica Kauffman exhibition is open until Sunday 30th June 2024. General tickets cost £17 and can be booked in advance.
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“A magnificent hymn of praise to God, perhaps the finest creation of its author, and of the first rank in its class,” is how Church of England clergyman John Julian described the hymn Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation. It was written in German by the German Reformed Church teacher Joachim Neander and translated into English by British writer Catherine Winkworth.
Joachim Neander, an important hymnist after the Reformation, was born in Bremen as Joachim Neumann in 1650. His grandfather – a musician – opted to change the family name to its Greek form, Neander, because Greek names were the current fashion. Neander’s father died when he was young, so he could not afford a prestigious education. Instead, he studied theology at a school in his hometown. At times, Neander felt he was wasting his time, but after hearing a sermon by Protestant pastor Theodor Undereyk, he became much more serious about his studies.
In 1671, a year after concluding his education, Neander became a private tutor in Heidelberg and, in 1674, a Latin teacher in Düsseldorf. Whilst teaching, Neander also gave sermons at gatherings and services in the area, which led him to become a pastor in his hometown of Bremen. He was a very popular pastor but died in 1680, a year after his appointment from tuberculosis at the age of 30.
Neander wrote most of his hymns in Düsseldorf, where new evidence suggests Neander caused problems with the Reformed Church. When Neander began working at the Latin School run by the church, he got on amicably with the minister and elders. He accepted invitations to preach and visit the sick but soon tried to introduce new practices without permission, such as private prayer meetings. As the relationship between Neander and the Church began to crumble, Neander did even more to provoke the elders, for instance, refusing to attend Holy Communion because he did not want to sit in the same building as the “unconverted”. The final straw came when Neander made changes to the timetable and buildings at the school. Neander was subsequently suspended.
Neander wrote all his hymns in German. Those translated into English include All my hope on God is founded and Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation. The latter, known as Lobe den Herren in German, was a favourite of King Frederick William III of Prussia, who first heard it in 1800. The composer Johann Sebastian Bach based his Chorale cantata, Praise the Lord, the mighty King of honour, on Neander’s words. The hymn paraphrases Psalm 103 (Bless the Lord, O my soul) and Psalm 150 (Praise ye the Lord). There are at least ten English translations of Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation, but the modern version is based on a translation by Catherine Winkworth in 1863.
Catherine Winkworth was born on 13th September 1827 in Holborn, London, to Henry Winkworth, a silk merchant. At age two, Winkworth moved with her family to Manchester, where her father had a silk mill. Unitarian minister Reverend William Gaskell and a religious philosopher, Doctor James Martineau, oversaw Winkworth’s education.
The Winkworth family later moved to Bristol, where she became the secretary of the Clifton Association for Higher Education for Women. Winkworth was a feminist and is remembered at Clifton High School for Girls, where a school house is named after her.
Catherine Winkworth spent a year in Dresden, where she developed a fascination with German hymnody. In 1854, she published the book Lyra Germanica, which consisted of a collection of German hymns that she had translated, including one by Joachim Neander.
Unfortunately, Winkworth’s career as a translator was cut short when she died suddenly from heart disease whilst in Switzerland. She is commemorated on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church with a feast day on 7th August, the same day as the hymn writer and priest John Mason Neale.
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Hazel Stainer 