Caroline Byng Lucas facts for kids

Caroline Byng Lucas (born Caroline Lucas) was a talented British artist. She lived from 1886 to 1967. She was known for her paintings, sculptures, and prints. Caroline also started her own art gallery and printing press. These were called the Millers Gallery and Millers Press. They were located in Lewes, a town in Sussex, England.

Early Life and Art Studies

Caroline Byng Lucas was born into a wealthy family. She loved art from a young age. In the 1920s, she traveled to learn more about art. She studied painting and sculpture in big cities like London, Paris, and Rome. Her first art show was in Paris in 1928. It was at a place called the Galerie des Jeunes Peintres.

In the 1930s, Caroline focused more on sculpture. She learned from a famous sculptor named John Skeaping. She also had her own art shows. In 1934, her paintings were shown at the Lefevre Gallery. In 1939, her sculptures were displayed at the Leicester Galleries.

The Millers Gallery: A Hub for Art

In 1941, Caroline and her older sister, Frances Byng Stamper, opened the Millers Gallery. They turned an old building at Caroline's home in Lewes into an art space. The gallery quickly became a busy art center. It hosted many exciting events.

The Millers Gallery showed art from local artists. But it also featured works by very famous artists. These included Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, Robert Colquhoun, and Robert MacBryde. Even world-famous artists like Matisse, Cezanne, and Pissarro had their art shown there. Sculptures by Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore were also displayed.

The gallery wasn't just for looking at art. It also held concerts and talks. Famous people visited, like Kenneth Clarke. The writer E. M. Forster gave readings. There were also performances by the singer Peter Pears and a ballet show with Lydia Lopokova. The Millers Gallery held over 40 exhibitions in total!

During World War II, a very important person named John Maynard Keynes was involved with the gallery. He was helping to create the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts (CEMA). This group helped keep art and culture alive during the war.

The Millers Press: Printing Art for Everyone

In 1945, the sisters started the Millers Press. Their goal was to make beautiful color prints. They wanted to make art more available to people. Caroline herself created a series of six prints. These prints showed scenes from Lewes and Brighton.

In 1948, Caroline Byng Lucas helped create a group called the Society of London Painter-Printers. She worked with the Redfern Gallery to do this. The group helped artists make and share their color prints.

Later Years and Legacy

Caroline and Frances ran the gallery and press until the mid-1950s. They closed them because they were getting older and less able to manage everything. Both sisters passed away in 1967, just a few months apart.

For a while, their work was not widely remembered. However, in 1987, an article by Diana Crook brought new attention to them. Then, in 1989, an exhibition at the Towner Gallery helped people rediscover the amazing work of both sisters.

Today, you can find examples of Caroline Byng Lucas's prints in important museums. The British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London both have her artwork in their collections.