Blanche Baker (painter) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Blanche Baker
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Portrait of the Artist Self-portrait in pencil, c.1920
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Ellen Blanche Baker
1844 Bristol, England
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| Died | 1929 Hampshire, England
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Blanche Baker (1844–1929) was an English artist known for her beautiful watercolour landscape paintings. She was born in Bristol, England. Blanche trained at the Bristol School of Art. She regularly showed her artwork at the famous Royal Academy and with the Society of Women Artists. She also taught drawing in schools in London. Her paintings often show places she visited during her many travels across Britain and Europe. In 1902, she became a full member of the Bristol Academy.
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Early Life and Artistic Beginnings
Blanche Baker, whose full name was Ellen Blanche Baker, was born on September 15, 1844. Her father, William Baker, was a successful builder in Bristol. The family lived in a large home called Sneyd Park Villa. It had big lawns, gardens, and even stables! Blanche was one of nine children.
Blanche went to the Bristol School of Art, which was a very important art school. She finished her studies in 1864. That year, she won a special prize for her work called Outline of Flowers. This was a big achievement! Before that, in 1863, she even won second prize in a ladies' rifle shooting competition. It sounds like she was good at many things!
In 1865, Blanche's mother, Mary Baker, passed away. Blanche, who was 20, and her older sisters helped take care of their younger siblings.
Becoming a Professional Artist
A big moment for Blanche's art career happened in 1869. Her watercolour drawing, Greenfell Lane, Gloucester, was accepted by the Royal Academy of Arts. This is a very prestigious art institution. In early 1870, she had her first solo art show in Bristol, featuring 70 of her watercolours. Later that year, another of her paintings, The Turnstile, was chosen for the Royal Academy. Blanche often signed her paintings with her initials, BB. This was good for her smaller works and also didn't reveal if the artist was a man or a woman.
Blanche regularly exhibited her art at the Bristol Academy. She chose watercolour and landscapes, which was a popular choice for women artists at the time. In 1876, she became an Associate of the Bristol Academy.
Around this time, her family faced some challenges. Her father remarried in 1877, but his new marriage caused problems. Her stepmother's behavior led to her father experiencing health issues that required special care. To protect their father's finances, Blanche and her siblings took legal steps. Blanche moved away from Bristol in 1878, though she briefly lived near her family in 1881. A few years later, she moved to the outskirts of London.
Teaching Art in London
Blanche moved to London to teach art in a school. She was inspired by the ideas of a famous thinker named Herbert Spencer. He believed in a "child-centred" way of teaching, which meant focusing on what was best for the student. Blanche's sisters, Rosa and Mabel, later worked for Spencer. They told him how Blanche's reading of his book on education encouraged her to become an art teacher. This shows Blanche's interest in helping others learn, especially children.
Building Her Career
Blanche was a strong and independent person. In 1884, she even advertised "Sketching Tours" in The Times newspaper. She offered to give art lessons to ladies traveling with her on the River Thames! This shows her adventurous spirit.
Her father passed away in 1884. Blanche and her older brother, Herbert, managed his estate. This meant they had to handle his money and property. Her father's estate was quite valuable, showing the family had been well-off.
In 1885, Blanche showed 11 watercolours at the Bristol Academy's Winter Exhibition. These included paintings of old buildings like The Dutch House, Bristol and street scenes.
In 1887, she exhibited with the Society of Lady Artists (SLA) in London. This group helped women artists get their work seen and accepted. The SLA later changed its name to the more confident Society of Women Artists in 1899. Blanche continued to exhibit her work, including at the Royal Academy. By 1888, she had moved back to Bristol.
In 1891, Blanche, then 47, listed her job as "artist – landscape painting and teacher." This shows how important both her art and her teaching were to her identity.
Living with Herbert Spencer
Even though her family seemed financially secure, Blanche's sisters, Rosa and Mabel, faced "money losses" around 1889. To help, they began living with and caring for the famous philosopher Herbert Spencer. Blanche also joined them at his home in London.
Rosa and Mabel later wrote a book about their time with Spencer, called Home Life with Herbert Spencer. This book gives us a peek into their daily lives.
While living in London, Blanche expanded where she showed her art. She exhibited in Dublin and Hampstead. She also kept her connection to Bristol, showing a painting called The Home Fields there. In 1894, she became an Associate of the Society of Lady Artists. In 1896, she had another successful exhibition of her watercolours in Bristol.
Spencer eventually decided to end the living arrangement in 1897. He felt that the house had become more like the Baker family's home than his own.
European Travels and a New Home
After leaving Spencer's house, Blanche and her sisters moved to a new home in Whetstone, near London. They called it Sneed Cottage. This name was a playful nod to their childhood home, Sneyd Park Villa, as "Sneed" was the local pronunciation of "Sneyd" in Bristol.
Towards the end of the 1800s, Blanche started traveling more in Europe. She visited France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain. These trips inspired new subjects for her paintings. For example, her painting Lake at Lucerne was shown in 1896.
In 1899, Blanche had a big exhibition of 42 watercolours in London. She showed many views of Switzerland, including the dramatic mountain The Jungfrau. She also painted scenes from different parts of England. Some of her titles, like Blackberry Gatherers, showed more people in her landscapes than usual. She also painted beautiful flower studies, such as Roses and Tulips.
Into the Twentieth Century
The 1901 census gives us a snapshot of the Baker sisters' life at Sneed Cottage. Blanche, then 56, was listed as an "artist (painter) and Teacher of Drawing." Her sister Mabel was the head of the household and an "examiner of domestic economy." Their sister Rosa and brother William also lived with them, along with a servant.
In 1901, her painting The Forester’s Garden was chosen for the Royal Academy. The next year, Blanche became a full member of the Bristol Academy, which was a great honor. She continued her European travels, showing paintings of Venice and the French Alps in a 1904 exhibition.
Blanche also exhibited with the Camsix Art Club, a group of women artists. She showed her work with them several times between 1904 and 1911.
In 1910, From My Window was selected for the Royal Academy, followed by A Cherry Orchard in 1911. In the 1911 census, Blanche, at 66, still described herself as an "artist and teacher. Secondary school." This shows that teaching remained an important part of her life.
Later Years
By 1918, the Baker sisters had moved to another home in Whetstone, which they also called Sneed Cottage. One of Blanche's last known works was a tiny watercolour of her painting The Jungfrau. This miniature (only 4.5 cm x 3.1 cm!) was made around 1923 for Queen Mary's Dolls' House. This special dollhouse is part of the Royal Collection today.
After her sister Rosa passed away in 1925, Blanche and Mabel moved to Fareham, near Portsmouth. Blanche Baker died on December 12, 1929, at the age of 85. She left behind a wonderful collection of landscape paintings that capture the beauty of the places she saw and loved.
Images for kids
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The Dutch House, Bristol exhibited in Bristol in 1885
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The Houses of Parliament from Lambeth Bridge, black and white reproduction of a watercolour by Blanche Baker c.1900
