Alice Jane Muskett facts for kids
Alice Jane Muskett (born April 28, 1869 – died July 17, 1936) was a talented artist and writer from Australia. She was known for her paintings and stories. It's thought that her drawing for her poem The Pillory (1905) was the very first picture by a woman to be printed in a famous Australian magazine called The Bulletin.
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Early Life and Learning
Alice Jane Muskett was born in Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia. Her father, Charles Muskett, was a bookseller from England, and her mother was Phoebe. Alice also had an older brother, Philip Edward Muskett, who became a well-known doctor.
After her father passed away in 1873, Alice's mother continued to run the family business. In 1885, Alice and her mother moved to Sydney to live with Philip. Alice and Philip lived together on Elizabeth Street until Philip's death in 1909.
Art School Days
Alice Muskett was one of the first students at the important Sydney Art School. This school was started by a famous artist named Julian Ashton in 1890. Julian Ashton was the first to offer special art classes for women in Sydney where they could draw from live models. Alice was his second student in these classes.
Julian Ashton painted three portraits of Alice during their time together. Two of these paintings are now in the Art Gallery of New South Wales. One is a study from 1893 showing Alice in class wearing glasses, and the other is called 'The Coral Necklet' (1901).
Becoming a Professional Artist
Alice Muskett started showing her artwork every year from 1890. First, she exhibited with the Art Society of New South Wales. Then, from 1895, she showed her paintings with the Society of Artists, Sydney. Her paintings were even featured in their art show catalogs.
Studying Art in Paris
Between 1895 and 1898, Alice went to Paris, France, to study art at the Académie Colarossi. While she was there, she also exhibited her work at a major art show called the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français. Some of her paintings shown there included Violets and Old Letters and The Red Ribbon, which was a strong pastel drawing of a young girl. Her art was also part of the 1898 Exhibition of Australian Art in London.
Famous Paintings
Two of Alice's paintings, 'Study of Roses' (1898) and 'In Cumberland Street' (1902), were bought by the Art Gallery of New South Wales. 'In Cumberland Street' later moved to the State Library of NSW in 1920. This painting showed Alice's skill in painting different types of scenes. It showed an ideal view of city life in an area that was often known as a poorer part of Sydney.
In 1909, David Henry Souter, who was the head of the Society of Artists, Sydney, called Alice Muskett "probably the most talented of our women painters." Before World War I, Alice shared an art studio in Sydney with another artist named Florence Rodway. They were both involved in the Society of Women Painters.
Today, a place called Muskett Place in the Canberra suburb of Conder is named in her honor.
Becoming a Writer
After Alice Muskett became known as an artist, she also started writing poems and short stories. These were published in various newspapers, including The Sydney Mail, The Lone Hand, and The Bulletin.
Writing as 'Jane Laker'
Alice used the pen name 'Jane Laker' for some of her writing. This name was actually her maternal grandmother's name. In 1933, she published a novel called Among the Reeds. This book was a bit like her own life story, set in Sydney in 1913. It was written as a personal diary over one year. The book explored the challenges women faced when deciding between marriage and a career. It is important because it was one of the early feminist writings.
See Also
- Australian art
Images for kids
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Alice J. Muskett, In Cumberland Street, around 1902.
