Elish Lamont facts for kids

Elish Lamont was a talented Irish artist. She was famous for painting very small, detailed pictures called miniatures. She lived from around 1800 or 1816 until 1870.

The Life of Elish Lamont

Elish Lamont was born in Belfast, Ireland. Her family was well-known in business. Her father, John Lamont, was a printer. Elish traveled to London to learn how to paint miniatures. After her training, she returned to Belfast.

Becoming a Professional Artist

By 1837, Elish Lamont was a professional artist. She lived in different places in Belfast. Sometimes she stayed with her brother John, who was a watchmaker. Other times she lived with her brother Aeneas, a surgeon.

Teaching and Later Life

In 1851, Elish opened a school with a Miss Rock. She was an experienced teacher. She had even taught in England, France, and Germany. However, she stopped working at the school by 1856. Later, Elish moved to Dublin for a few years. She then moved to England. There, she met famous people like Charles Dickens. Elish Lamont passed away on July 28, 1870, in Rochester, Kent.

Elish Lamont's Artistic Work

Elish Lamont was one of the first professional women artists in Belfast. She had a very successful career. She showed her art at many exhibitions.

Exhibitions and Famous Clients

She exhibited her work with the Belfast Association of Artists. She also showed her art at the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) many times. From 1856 to 1859, she displayed seven miniatures at the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) in London. Many rich families in Northern Ireland asked her to paint for them. These included Lord Bangor and the Earl of Belfast.

Notable Works and Royal Gifts

Elish Lamont painted miniatures of Lady Dufferin. These were shown at the RHA and RA. Two of her artworks were even given to Queen Victoria in 1853. This happened when the Queen visited Dublin. Elish also created prints based on her drawings in 1845. These prints illustrated famous Irish songs. Today, only one of her known works is in a public collection. It is a miniature at the Ulster Museum.

Elish Lamont's Writings

Besides painting, Elish Lamont was also a writer. She published several works.

Published Books and Poetry

In 1843, she wrote a few publications. These included "Impressions, thoughts and sketches during two years in Switzerland." She also wrote "The gladiators" and "The mission of the educator." In 1846, Elish worked with her sister on a book of poems. It was called "Christmas rhymes, or Three nights' revelry." Elish also drew the pictures for this book. In 1855, she published a novel titled "Love versus money."