Diana Conyngham Ellis facts for kids

Diana Conyngham Ellis (born Diana Monsell) was a talented artist from Ireland. She lived from 1813 to 1851. Diana was especially known for her beautiful paintings of plants and flowers. These types of paintings are called botanical art.

Who Was Diana Conyngham Ellis?

Diana Monsell was born in 1813, probably in County Londonderry, Ireland. She was the oldest of four children. Her father, Thomas Bewley Monsell, was an important church leader. Her brother, John Samuel Bewley Monsell, later became a well-known writer of hymns (church songs).

In 1842, Diana married her first cousin, Conyngham Ellis. He was a lawyer at first, but later became a church minister. Diana passed away on May 4, 1851, when she was 37 or 38 years old.

After she died, a book she wrote was published. It was called Conversations on human nature for the young. This shows she cared about teaching young people.

A painted picture of Diana Ellis, made by artist Frederick William Burton, can be seen at the National Gallery of Ireland.

What Kind of Art Did She Make?

Diana Conyngham Ellis created 68 amazing watercolour drawings. These drawings showed different flowers and leaves. We don't know if she went to art school. However, her work was very good for her time.

She often painted common plants. These were plants you might find in fields or along country roads. For example, she painted primroses, bluebells, and violets. Her artwork is praised for being very accurate and realistic. It looks just like the real plants!

All of her beautiful drawings are kept together in an album. This album is part of the collection at the National Gallery of Ireland. Another artist, Frederick William Burton, was very impressed by her work. He said her paintings made his own art seem "rude and false." This shows how much he admired her skill.