Dolla Richmond facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dolla Richmond
Portrait (cropped) of Richmond by Harry Linley Richardson
Born	12 September 1861 Parnell, Auckland
Died	16 April 1935 Wellington, New Zealand
Nationality	New Zealand
Known for	painting

Dorothy Kate Richmond (born September 12, 1861 – died April 16, 1935) was a talented artist from New Zealand. People often called her Dolla Richmond. She was famous for her beautiful watercolour paintings. She loved to paint nature, like plants and animals, and wide, sweeping landscapes.

Dolla Richmond's Early Life and Art Training

Dolla Richmond was born in Parnell, Auckland, on September 12, 1861. Her father was James Crowe Richmond, and her mother was Mary Smith. Dolla was the third of five children. Her early childhood was a bit unsettled. After her mother passed away in 1865, her family moved around. Sometimes, Dolla and her siblings stayed with relatives.

Learning to Paint: Early Education

Dolla went to Miss Bell's Young Ladies' College in Nelson. Her father loved drawing and painting, and he encouraged Dolla's interest in art. In 1873, her father took Dolla and her two older siblings to Europe. There, she continued to take drawing lessons.

Studying Art in London

While in London, Dolla attended Bedford College for Women. She also studied at the famous Slade School of Fine Art. At Slade, she learned from a teacher named Alphonse Legros. Her hard work paid off, and by June 1880, she earned a special Slade Scholarship for her art.

Becoming a Teacher and Professional Artist

In the early 1880s, Dolla returned to New Zealand. She helped take care of her father's home. In 1883, she became an art teacher at the new Nelson College for Girls.

Exhibiting Her Art

Dolla started showing her paintings with the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts in 1885. She traveled back and forth to Europe, continuing to study and paint seriously. By 1890, she became an official artist member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. In 1896, she studied with another artist named James Nairn.

Travels and Friendships

After her father passed away in 1898, Dolla became financially independent. This meant she could travel to Europe again to paint. In 1901, she met another New Zealand artist, Frances Hodgkins. They traveled together in France and Italy. They became close friends and returned to New Zealand together in December 1903. Frances Hodgkins said Dolla was "the dearest woman with the most beautiful face."

A painter named Norman Garstin even painted Dolla's portrait in Europe in 1903. This oil painting is now in the Te Papa museum collection.

Teaching and Legacy

Dolla and Frances Hodgkins remained close friends. They rented an art studio together in Wellington. They also taught art to private students. When Frances Hodgkins returned to Europe in 1906, Dolla kept the studio. She became well-known as an art teacher. From about 1909 to 1924, she taught classes at Fitzherbert Terrace School, also known as the Samuel Marsden Collegiate School.

Dolla Richmond was a Council Member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts starting in 1904. In 1928, she was given a special life membership. She never married and passed away in Wellington on April 16, 1935.

Images for kids

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  Mount Egmont

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  Woman with children

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  Purple and bronze

Discover More of Dolla Richmond's Art

• Works by D. K. Richmond in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa