Mary Grace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Grace
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| Died | 1799/1800 |
| Nationality | British |
Mary Grace (died 1799 or 1800) was a talented British artist from the 1700s. She taught herself how to paint portraits and became a professional painter. She was known for her detailed portraits and for copying other famous artworks.
Contents
Life of Mary Grace
A Self-Taught Artist
Mary Grace was born Mary Hodgkiss. Her father was a shoemaker. This means she likely taught herself how to paint. She might have received some help from another artist, Stephen Slaughter. Mary married Thomas Grace in London in 1744.
Her Art and Exhibitions
In 1749, one of Mary Grace's paintings became famous. It was a portrait of Reverend Thomas Bradbury. This painting was turned into an engraving by John Faber. The National Portrait Gallery still has copies of this print. They also have another print of Thomas Bradbury, made after Grace's work. That one was engraved by Jonathan Spilsbury.
Mary Grace showed her own original paintings every year. She exhibited them at the Society of Artists of Great Britain. This happened from 1762 to 1769. She also took on jobs to copy other pictures.
Recognition and Famous Works
In 1769, Mary Grace was chosen as an honorary member. This was for the Incorporated Society of Artists. A book from that time, The Artists' Repository, praised her work. It said her portraits showed great skill and likeness.
Besides portraits, she painted other types of scenes. These included historical and classical stories. Examples are The Death of Sigismunda (1765) and Antigonous, Seleucus and Stratonice (1767). She also painted everyday life. These included Beggars (1763) and Pea-Pickers Cooking Their Supper (1764). Today, we only know about these from descriptions. They were listed in the Society of Artists' exhibition books.
Later Life
Around 1770, Mary's husband, Thomas Grace, passed away. He left behind property in Hackney. Mary Grace herself died in 1799 or 1800. She passed away at Weymouth Street in Marylebone. She left behind a good amount of money, £1300. In 1785, a self-portrait she painted was also engraved and published.
