Alice Jacob facts for kids

Alice Jacob (born January 26, 1862 – died July 31, 1921) was a talented Irish artist. She was known for drawing plants, designing beautiful lace, and teaching art.

About Alice Jacob

Her Early Life

Alice Jacob was born in 1862 in New Zealand. Her parents were from Ireland. When she was nine years old, in 1871, her family moved back to Dublin, Ireland. They were Quakers, a religious group. Her father, Anthony Pim Jacob, ran a hotel that did not serve alcohol.

Alice later studied art at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art (DMSA). She was a very good student. She won important scholarships in 1882 and 1888. Alice Jacob passed away in Dublin in 1921.

Her Artistic Talents

Alice Jacob was a successful and well-known artist during her time. She won prizes in art competitions. In 1890, she won an award at the Royal Dublin Society Horse Show. The Kyrle Society in London gave her a prize in 1891 for a large painting called a frieze. Her artwork was shown in Paris between 1891 and 1893.

She designed and painted special Belleek porcelain for a professor at Trinity College Dublin. In 1898, the Hungarian government chose her work to be shown in a new museum in Budapest. Alice also taught art. She became a teacher of Design and Ornament at the DMSA in 1898. She helped create drawings for a book about gardening.

Alice was especially known for designing lace. By 1900, she was very famous in this field. She created many designs for linen companies. Her plant drawings often inspired her lace designs. She also used them for embroidery and other crafts. She won many awards in London. Alice helped show that crafts were an important part of the art world.

Drawing Plants

In 1908, Alice Jacob became the official artist at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland. She drew plants there. She took over from another artist named Lydia Shackleton. Alice drew more than 150 pictures of orchids between 1908 and 1919. These orchids were part of a special collection.

Her drawings were very detailed and scientific. She showed plants from different angles. She also drew close-ups and parts of the plants. Alice studied the Irish language. She was a member of the Gaelic League. She even signed and dated her paintings using Gaelic script.