Gertrude Spencer-Stanhope facts for kids
Gertrude Spencer-Stanhope (1857–1944) was a talented English artist. She was known for both her sculptures and her paintings. Gertrude came from an artistic family. Her uncle, John Roddam Spencer Stanhope, and her cousin, Evelyn De Morgan, were famous Pre-Raphaelite painters. The Pre-Raphaelites were a group of artists who wanted to paint in a detailed and colorful way, inspired by art before the time of Raphael.
Gertrude Spencer-Stanhope's Life and Family Home
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Mary Gertrude Elizabeth Spencer-Stanhope was the oldest of 11 children. Her mother was Elizabeth Julia Buxton. Her father was Sir Walter Spencer Stanhope. He owned a large estate called Cannon Hall in Barnsley from 1873 to 1911.
The Spencer family, and later the Spencer-Stanhopes, had owned Cannon Hall since 1660. In 1951, the last family member sold the house to the Barnsley Council. It opened as a public museum in 1957.
In 2007, Cannon Hall Museum celebrated its 50th birthday. They held an exhibition called Painters of Dreams. This show featured artists from the Spencer-Stanhope family. It included Bronze sculptures by Gertrude Spencer-Stanhope. There were also paintings by her uncle, John Roddam Spencer-Stanhope, and her cousin, Evelyn De Morgan. Ceramics by William De Morgan, Evelyn's husband, were also on display.
The exhibition also highlighted the beautiful ballroom at Cannon Hall. It showed the "Fairyland" area in the gardens, which Gertrude's father and sister Cecily designed. Painters of Dreams was open from May 23 to September 9, 2007.
Gertrude's Artworks and Sculptures
Gertrude Spencer-Stanhope showed her paintings in galleries in London and other cities between 1886 and 1909. However, these paintings are not very well known today.
She made only a few bronze sculptures, perhaps just three. In 2006, these sculptures became public property. This happened through a special program called Acceptance in Lieu. This program allows valuable art or heritage items to be given to the UK government instead of paying inheritance tax.
The three sculptures were a female figure, a Pan (a Greek god of nature), and a lyre-playing Orpheus (a musician from Greek myths). These sculptures were given to the Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council. They are now displayed at Cannon Hall Museum. These works are considered "fine examples" of small bronze sculptures popular in the late 1800s in Britain. They are also important because it was rare for women to work as sculptors during that time.
Gertrude Spencer-Stanhope is also believed to have painted the panels for the pulpit in Christ Church, Isle of Dogs. A pulpit is a raised platform in a church where a speaker stands. Her work here shows the influence of her uncle's pulpit panels in St. James the Great Church. Two of Gertrude's panels look similar to his. The third panel shows more of her own unique style. Gertrude gave this pulpit to the church in 1907 to remember her brother Edward. The exact reason for her family's connection to Christ Church is not known.
