Elinor Darwin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elinor Mary Darwin
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| Born |
Elinor Mary Monsell
1879 Limerick, Ireland
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| Died | 1954 |
| Resting place | St Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Downe, Kent |
| Nationality | Irish-English |
| Education | Slade School of Art |
| Known for | Engraver, painter |
| Spouse(s) | Bernard Darwin |
Elinor Mary Darwin (born Elinor Mary Monsell; 1879–1954) was a talented artist from Ireland. She was known for her beautiful illustrations, engravings, and portraits. You might have seen her drawings in some of the children's books written by her husband, Bernard Darwin.
Contents
About Elinor's Life
Elinor Mary Monsell was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1879. She was the oldest daughter of William Thomas Monsell and Elinor Vere. Her father worked as a magistrate.
When Elinor was 17, she moved from Ireland to London. Her brother, John Robert Monsell, was also an artist. He wrote and illustrated children's books. He even helped create a musical version of a play called The Rivals.
Family Life
Elinor married Bernard Darwin on July 31, 1906, in London. Bernard was a famous golf writer. He was also the grandson of the well-known scientist Charles Darwin.
Elinor and Bernard had two children:
- Ursula Darwin (1908–2011)
- Sir Robert Vere Darwin (1910–1974)
Elinor is buried in St Mary the Virgin Churchyard in Kent, England. This churchyard is close to Down House, which was the home of the Darwin family.
Elinor's Education
Elinor studied art at the famous Slade School of Art in London. She was very good at art and even won a scholarship there in 1896.
Elinor's Art Career
Elinor was an active artist from around 1899 to 1929. Before she got married, she worked with the famous writer W. B. Yeats. She met him in 1899. Yeats really liked her woodcuts, which are pictures made by carving wood. He even asked her to design a special logo for the Abbey Theatre.
Her design for the Abbey Theatre was a wood engraving of Queen Maeve with one of her wolfhounds. This design appeared on the theatre's programs starting in 1904. Elinor also designed the cover for a book called The Fair Hills of Ireland in 1906. In 1907, she created the first special mark for the Dun Emer Press. It showed Lady Emer standing next to a tree.
Illustrating Books
Elinor illustrated several children's books written by her husband, Bernard Darwin. Some of these books include:
- Tale Of Mr. Tootleoo
- Every Idle Dream
- Mr. Tootleoo and Company
Her illustrations were also featured in The Shanachie, which was an Irish magazine. This magazine included works by many famous Irish writers like W.B. Yeats and George Bernard Shaw.
Elinor even taught her husband's cousin, Gwen Raverat, how to do engravings.
Exhibitions and Portraits
In 1913, some of Elinor's paintings were shown at an exhibition of Irish art in London. These paintings included A Doorway, Child with Toy Bird, and The Annunciation. She also painted a portrait of the poet and author Aubrey Thomas De Vere when he was 87 years old.
