Helen Thornycroft facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helen Thornycroft
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Helen Thornycroft (Portrait of the Artist), attributed to Edith Martineau
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| Born | 1848 London, England
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| Died | 11 November 1937 (aged 88–89) Kensington, London
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| Nationality | British |
| Education | Royal Academy |
| Known for | Painting |
Helen Thornycroft (1848 – 1937) was a talented English painter. She was especially known for her beautiful watercolour paintings. Helen lived and worked during the Victorian era.
Contents
Helen Thornycroft's Life
Early Life and Artistic Family
Helen Thornycroft was born in London in 1848. She grew up in a very artistic family. Many of her relatives were famous sculptors. Her grandfather, John Francis, was a sculptor. Her father, Thomas Thornycroft, and her mother, Mary Thornycroft, were also sculptors.
Helen's younger brother, Hamo Thornycroft, became a well-known sculptor too. Her sisters, Alyce and Theresa, were also artists. The Thornycroft family had strong ties to the art world in England.
Helen, nicknamed "Nello," even helped her brother John Isaac Thornycroft when he was young. He later became famous for building ships. Helen helped him build a steam launch at home.
Becoming an Artist
Helen, Hamo, Alyce, and Theresa all went to the Royal Academy schools. This was in the 1860s. At that time, the Royal Academy was just starting to accept female students.
Helen first tried sculpture, like her family. She showed a statue called Ophelia in a Royal Academy show in 1864. But after a year or two, she decided to focus on painting instead.
In 1871, Helen traveled abroad with her siblings, Hamo and Alyce. They studied art together. They also posed for each other's artworks. Hamo's journals show how much energy Helen had. He wrote about a night they walked home at 2:00 AM. Helen was up by 6:30 AM to go swimming. Then she worked at the Royal Academy schools until 2:00 PM!
Later Career and Achievements
Helen was a very dedicated artist. By the late 1880s, she had her own art studio. She also had her own apartment. This was quite unusual for a woman at that time.
Helen became best known for her flower paintings. This type of painting was often done by women artists. But she also painted other things. She created beautiful landscapes and portraits of people.
Her work was shown at the Palace of Fine Arts in Chicago. This was during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. It was a big world's fair. Helen also served as the vice-president of the Society of Women Artists for ten years. This was from 1899 to 1909. Helen Thornycroft never married. She passed away on November 11, 1937.
