Jane Benham Hay facts for kids

Jane Benham Hay, England and Italy, oil on canvas, 1859

The Burning of the Vanities in Homerton College, Cambridge hall

Jane Benham (born 1829) was a talented English painter and illustrator from the Victorian era. She was also known as Jane Benham Hay. Jane was connected to two important art groups in the mid-1800s. These were the Pre-Raphaelite painters in Britain and the Macchiaioli artists in Italy.

Life as an Artist

Jane Benham was born in London in 1829. Her family worked with metals like iron and copper. In 1850, she traveled to Munich, Germany, with her friend Anna Mary Howitt. They both wanted to study drawing and painting seriously.

Studying Art in Munich

When Jane and Anna arrived in Munich, they found out that women were not allowed to study at the city's main art school, the Academy. But they didn't give up! They asked Wilhelm von Kaulbach, who was the Director of the Academy, if they could study privately in his studio. He said yes, and they were allowed to work there freely. It's not clear how much he taught them directly.

Jane stayed in Munich until December 1850 before returning to London. Anna Mary stayed longer, coming back to London in 1852. Anna later wrote a book called An Art Student in Munich. It was based on her diary and letters from her time studying art. In her book, Anna used the name Clare to refer to Jane Benham.

Life in Italy

In 1851, Jane married an artist named William Hay. They had a son the next year. However, their marriage didn't last long. In the mid-1850s, Jane moved from London to Florence, Italy.

Around this time, she met Francesco Saverio Altamura (born 1822 or 1826 – died 1897). He was also a painter and was linked to the Macchiaioli painters. The Macchiaioli were a group of Italian artists who painted outdoors and used bold brushstrokes. They are seen as early influences on the Impressionist art movement. Jane and Francesco married and had a son together, Bernardo Hay (1864–1934), who also became a painter.

Exhibitions and Famous Works

Jane Benham Hay showed her paintings at the Royal Academy in London several times. She exhibited there in 1848, 1849, 1859, 1861, and 1862.

Her two paintings from 1859, England and Italy and Portrait of a Boy in Florentine Costume, helped her become well-known. England and Italy was painted just before Italy became a united country. It was a strong message supporting a democratic and united Italy. The famous art critic John Ruskin said both paintings were "masterly complete." He admired their artistic skill, even if he didn't agree with the political message in England and Italy. This painting was lost for many years after 1859 but was found again in the late 1990s.

In 1867, Jane Hay had her biggest success with a painting called The Florentine Procession. It is also known as The Burning of the Vanities. This painting was shown in London by Henry Wallis at the French Gallery. Today, this important painting is part of the collection at Homerton College, Cambridge.

Not much is known about Jane Benham Hay's later life. Her exact date of death is not recorded.