Frances Beckett facts for kids

Frances "Cissie" Beckett (1880-1951) was a talented Irish artist. She studied art with other well-known artists of her time, like Estella Solomons and Beatrice Elvery. They all went to the same art school in Paris. Cissie Beckett showed her work in important art shows, including the Young Irish Artists exhibition and the Royal Hibernian Academy. She was also the aunt of Nobel Prize winner Samuel Beckett, a very famous writer.

Cissie Beckett's Artistic Journey

Her Art Studies

Frances Beckett started her art education at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art in Ireland. Later, she traveled to Paris, France, to study at Colarossi's studio. She went there with her friends Estella Solomons and Dorothy and Beatrice Elvery. This was a common path for many artists at the time.

Exhibitions and Works

In 1903, Cissie Beckett showed her art with a group called the Young Irish Artists. Her friends from art school were also part of this group. She also exhibited her paintings at the Royal Hibernian Academy. She showed her work there many times between 1897 and 1908.

Some of her artwork can still be seen today. A painting she made of her friend Estella Solomons is now in the Model Niland collection in Sligo. Another one of her portraits, which shows Israel Leventon, is kept at the Irish Jewish Museum. You can also find some of her drawings and sketches in the Solomons archive. This collection is held by the library of Trinity College Dublin.

Her Personal Life

Family and Nickname

Frances Beckett's father was William Beckett. She had four brothers. One of her brothers, also named William, was the father of the famous writer Samuel Beckett. Frances was known to her family and friends by the nickname 'Cissie'.

Marriage and Return to Ireland

Cissie Beckett married an antique dealer named William Sinclair. People often called him 'the Boss'. They lived in Howth, a town in Ireland. They had several children together. In the early 1920s, the Sinclairs moved to Germany. Samuel Beckett, her nephew, often visited them there. It is said that Cissie helped him develop his interest in art and creativity.

Later, the Sinclairs' business in Germany faced difficulties. Because of these problems, they decided to move back to Ireland.

Challenges as an Artist

As Cissie Beckett had a family, it sometimes became difficult for her to find enough time for her art. Her family duties took up a lot of her time. Towards the end of her life, she also developed arthritis. This condition made it even harder for her to continue her artistic work.