Bessie Davidson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bessie Davidson
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Bessie Ellen Davidson
22 May 1879 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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| Died | 22 February 1965 (aged 85) Montparnasse, Paris, France
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| Resting place | Saint-Saëns, Seine-Maritime, France |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Education | Künstlerinner Verein Académie de la Grande Chaumière |
| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | Impressionism |
| Elected | Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts (1922) |
Bessie Ellen Davidson (1879–1965) was a talented Australian painter. She was famous for her beautiful paintings of landscapes and indoor scenes. Her art often showed bright light and used the style of Impressionism.
Early Life and Art Studies
Bessie Ellen Davidson was born on May 22, 1879, in North Adelaide, South Australia. Her family had roots in Scotland and England. Her father, David Davidson, worked in mining. Her mother was Ellen Johnson Davidson. Bessie came from an artistic family. Her great-grandfather was a sculptor, and her grandmother was a painter.
Bessie went to the Advanced School for Girls. This school was known for its strong drawing classes. She also studied art with a painter named Rose McPherson. Rose McPherson later became very famous as Margaret Preston. Bessie started showing her artwork in 1901. At this time, her paintings clearly showed the influence of Margaret Preston.
In 1904, after her mother passed away, Bessie traveled to Europe. She went with Margaret Preston to study art. They first spent a few months in Munich, Germany. There, Bessie briefly studied at the Künstlerinner Verein. Then, they moved to Paris, France.
In Paris, Bessie studied at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. She learned from a teacher named René-Xavier Prinet. Here, she met Germaine Desgranges, who became a lifelong friend. Germaine later married the artist Philippe Besnard. Bessie also took classes with other artists like Raphael Collin and Gustave Courtois.
Just one year after arriving in France, Bessie was already showing her art. She exhibited at the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français. The next year, she showed her work at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. In 1922, Bessie made history. She became the first Australian woman to be chosen as a member of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. She even worked as its secretary later on. Bessie also helped start the Salon des Tuileries. She showed her paintings there almost every year from 1923 to 1951.
Art Career and Travels
Bessie Davidson returned to Australia in 1907. She rented an art studio with Margaret Preston. For several years, she continued to paint and show her work. In 1908, the Art Gallery of South Australia bought one of her paintings. It was a portrait of a potter named Gladys Reynell.
In 1910, Bessie went back to Paris. She set up her own art workshop in a famous area called Montparnasse. Her studio was next to another artist, Raymond Legueult. It was also across the street from the Dutch painter Conrad Kickert. Bessie became the godmother to Kickert's daughter. She also became godmother to Philippe Besnard's daughter. She made many friends in the art world in Paris, including the painter Anders Osterlind.
Bessie visited her family in Australia in 1914. She was there when World War I began. She quickly returned to France. There, she joined the French Red Cross. She helped by working in different military hospitals. During the war, she met Marguerite Leroy. Marguerite, nicknamed "Dauphine," became Bessie's close companion for the next twenty years.
After the war, from 1918 to 1920, Bessie painted calm and personal scenes. These were mostly indoor pictures, still life paintings, and portraits. She used soft, muted colors. Her style changed in the 1920s and 1930s. Her paintings became more energetic. She used rich, bright, and often dramatic colors. She applied the paint thickly with a palette knife. During this time, her artwork sold well. Art critics also liked her paintings.
Bessie traveled around Europe, Russia, and Morocco. She made outdoor sketches during her travels. Later, she used these sketches to create larger paintings in her studio. Her landscape paintings are special because of how she captured light and the feeling of the air.
In 1930, Bessie Davidson helped start a group called La Société Femmes Artistes Modernes. She was one of its first vice-presidents. She also helped start the Société Nationale Indépendentes. She was a member of the Salon d'Automne too. In 1931, Bessie received a very special award. She was given the Legion of Honour by France. This was partly because she helped create the Salon des Tuileries. She was the only Australian woman to receive this honor at that time. She showed her art widely with other famous artists. These included Mary Cassatt, Tamara de Lempicka, Camille Claudel, and Suzanne Valadon.
Even though she was still an Australian citizen, Bessie decided to stay in France during World War II. She lived with friends in Grenoble. Some people say she was even part of the French Resistance, a group that fought against the occupation. Her paintings from this time are strong, bright, and full of life. In 1945, she went back to her old studio in Paris. Sometimes, she would spend time at a farm she bought near Rouen. After the war, she mostly painted outdoors on small wooden panels.
Bessie Davidson passed away in Montparnasse, France, in 1965. She was buried in Saint-Saëns, Seine-Maritime.
Images for kids
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Bessie Davidson
See also
In Spanish: Bessie Davidson para niños
