Lillian Louisa Pitts facts for kids

Lillian Louisa Pitts (1872 – 1947), also known as L.L.P., was a talented Australian woman. She was a music teacher, an artist, and a professional photographer. Lillian loved music and art from a young age. She earned money by teaching music and painting with oil paints. Her journey into painting and photography started by making postcard pictures of her friends and family. Lillian Pitts passed away in 1947.

Lillian Pitts' Life Story

Lillian Pitts was born in Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia. She grew up in a well-off family who were strong followers of the Methodist faith. In the 1890s, her family faced tough times because of an economic downturn. This meant they lost a lot of their money.

Because of this, her family moved to a new pioneer community in Northern Victoria. In 1907, Lillian started studying art in Melbourne. Her teacher was a well-known artist named A.M.E. Bale. While studying, Lillian sold portraits she painted of people.

Her Start in Photography

Lillian's earliest known photograph is from 1904. This shows she was taking pictures even before she formally studied art. Her first photos show she already understood how to take great pictures. She knew how to use different techniques and arrange things in her photos.

Capturing Daily Life

Today, a large collection of Lillian Pitts' photographs is kept at the Museums Victoria. There are about 600 negatives of her work there. These photos show everyday life in Australia. They capture scenes of people having fun, working on farms, and living in the countryside.

Lillian's photographs were often simple. She liked to show landscapes and people in rural areas. She captured them doing their normal work or daily activities.

Photographing Indigenous People and Children

Besides rural life, Lillian also photographed Aboriginal people. For example, she took a famous photo called Aboriginal Man Wearing Possum Skin Cloak, Swan Hill, circa 1915. By taking pictures of Indigenous people, Lillian showed their important role in the community. This was special because many people at that time did not recognize them.

Lillian also loved taking pictures of children. Her photos of kids were very popular. She won many awards for these pictures. Her work was even shown in newspapers and other publications.

Friendship and Expeditions

During her best years as an artist, Lillian became good friends with another photographer, J.P. (Jas) Campbell. They often went on photography trips together. On these trips, they would share their ideas. They also gave each other helpful advice about their work.

Lillian's Work in Books

Lillian Pitts' photographs are featured in many books. One book is The Story of the Camera in Australia by Jack Cato. Another is Merrigum Frank, which is a children's book. This book was put together by Euan McGilliviary and Matthew Nickson. It includes many of Lillian's wonderful photographs.

A Shift to Painting

Towards the end of her life, Lillian was again affected by hard economic times. This was during the Great Depression. She then focused more on oil painting as a way to express herself. In this part of her career, her family and the nature around her inspired her. When her family first moved to their pioneer village, they owned an orchard. Lillian often painted this orchard. She also frequently painted young women.

Collections of Her Work

• Lillian Louisa Pitts Collection, Museums Victoria
• National Gallery of Australia