Mary Cameron (painter) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Margaret Cameron
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Mary Cameron in her studio
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| Born | 3 March 1865 Portobello, Midlothian, Scotland
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| Died | 21 February 1921 (aged 55) Turnhouse, Scotland
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| Alma mater | Trustees Drawing Academy |
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Notable work
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Portrait de Mme. Blair et ses borzois |
| Spouse(s) | Alexis Millar |
Mary Margaret Cameron (born March 9, 1865 – died February 15, 1921) was a talented Scottish artist. She was famous for painting scenes of everyday life in Spain. Mary showed 54 of her artworks at the Royal Scottish Academy between 1886 and 1919.
Early Life and Art Training
Mary Margaret Cameron was born on March 9, 1865. She grew up in Portobello, a town near Edinburgh, Scotland. She was the third of six children. Her father, Duncan Cameron, was involved with a printing company. He also invented a special pen-nib called the "Waverley." Her father owned The Oban Times newspaper too.
Mary started her art lessons at age 16. She studied at the Trustees Drawing Academy in Edinburgh. She won prizes for her art from the age of 17. To draw animals better, she took classes at the Edinburgh Veterinary College. This helped her become very good at painting horses. She even used her own horse as a model!
Adventures in Spain
In 1900, Mary Cameron traveled to Madrid, Spain. She wanted to study the art of Diego Velázquez, a famous Spanish painter from the 1600s. Mary quickly fell in love with Spain. She loved its people, culture, and way of life.
She painted many Spanish scenes. She focused on exciting topics like horse racing and bullfighting. She lived in Madrid and Seville for a while. Her paintings of bullfights were very realistic. This caused some discussion back in Scotland.
Her Art Career
Mary Cameron helped start the Edinburgh Ladies' Art Club. She also took part in the first show of the Society of Scottish Artists. Later, she worked with the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA). In 1901, women could show their art at the RSA. However, they could not become full members. Mary tried to become a member three times, but it didn't happen until 1938 for women.
She showed 56 of her paintings at the RSA between 1886 and 1919. Her painting, Portrait de Mme. Blair et ses borzois, won a special award. It received a "Mention Honorable" at the Paris Salon in 1904. This painting showed her sister Flora with her two Russian Borzoi dogs. This artwork, along with one of her Spanish paintings, was featured in a book called Women Painters of the World in 1905.
Mary held four solo art shows between 1908 and 1913. These shows were in Edinburgh, London, and Paris. Art critics praised her work, noting her "power, ease and fearlessness."
Besides being a great artist, Mary Cameron was also good with languages. She spoke French and Spanish very well. She also knew German and Italian, and could read and translate some Russian.
On June 30, 1905, Mary married Alexis Millar. He was a horse dealer from Edinburgh. Mary Cameron passed away on February 15, 1921, in Turnhouse, near Edinburgh. She is buried in Dean Cemetery in Edinburgh.
Legacy and Impact
Mary Cameron's paintings are part of a few national art collections in Britain. A portrait of Mary working in her studio, painted by John Brown Abercromby, is kept at the National Gallery of Scotland. She is remembered as a "trailblazer" for women artists. She helped pave the way for more equality in the art world.
See also
In Spanish: Mary Cameron para niños
