Mary Manning (artist) facts for kids

Mary Ruth Manning, often called May Manning, was an important Irish artist and teacher. She was born in Dublin in 1853 and became known for her landscape paintings. She also played a big role in guiding many young women artists. She helped them improve their skills and even encouraged them to study art in Paris.

Mary Manning's Life Story

Mary Ruth Manning was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1853. Her father, Robert Manning, was an engineer. Her mother was Susanna Gibson. For most of her life, Mary lived in the family home at Ely Place in Dublin. She lived there from 1880 onwards. There was a short time, from 1889 to 1892, when she lived in Hampstead, London.

Mary had sisters, and one of them was Georgina Manning. Georgina was a suffragette. Suffragettes were women who fought for the right to vote. In 1913, Georgina protested at an art exhibition by damaging a statue of a politician named John Redmond.

Mary and her sisters never married. They continued to live together, first at Ely Place, and later on Winton Road in Lesson Park. Mary Manning passed away there on January 27, 1930.

Artistic Journey and Teaching Influence

Mary Manning studied art in Paris in the 1870s. She learned from talented artists like Louise Catherine Breslau and Sarah Purser. Mary mostly created art using oil paints and watercolors.

From 1880 to 1892, her artwork was shown in several exhibitions. These included shows at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, the Walker Art Gallery, and the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) in Ireland. Her paintings were also displayed in Brussels.

Inspiring Young Artists

Mary Manning is most famous for how much she influenced other Irish women artists. She and her sisters had an art studio where they gave lessons to young women. These lessons helped students prepare to enter the RHA, a well-known art institution. Mary often encouraged her students to travel and study art in Paris.

Some of the famous artists she taught and inspired include Mary Swanzy and Mainie Jellett. Because she spent so much time teaching, Mary didn't exhibit her own artwork very often. In 1885, she became a member of the Dublin Sketching Club.

Mary Manning's Artwork Today

You can see one of Mary Manning's oil paintings at the National Gallery of Ireland. It shows a beautiful landscape with a setting sun. Another of her artworks, called Study of a boy, is part of the collections at the Hugh Lane Gallery.