Mary Smirke facts for kids
Mary Smirke was a talented English artist and translator. She was born on June 22, 1779, and passed away on September 14, 1853.
Her Life and Work
Mary Smirke was one of eight children. Her father, Robert Smirke, was a famous painter and illustrator. Her mother, Elizabeth, passed away in 1825.
Mary had many talented siblings. Her brothers Sir Robert Smirke and Sydney Smirke became architects. Her brother Richard Smirke was a draughtsman, which means he was skilled at drawing plans. Sir Edward Smirke was a lawyer and also an archaeologist, someone who studies old human history.
Mary went to school in Rickmansworth. Her father taught her how to paint and draw. She worked for well-known artists like Nathaniel Dance-Holland and Sir Thomas Lawrence. Mary became a respected landscape painter, known for her beautiful outdoor scenes.
Between 1809 and 1814, Mary showed six of her paintings at the Royal Academy in London. This is a very important art institution. Some of her paintings included View of Arundel Castle and Cottege near Blackheath.
Mary was also a skilled translator. In 1818, she translated the famous book Don Quixote into English. Her father added illustrations to this book. Later, she published two books of her own poetry. These were called Illustrated Translations from the German. She also created the pen and ink drawings for these books.
Many important places keep examples of Mary Smirke's work. The Royal Academy in London has a portrait she painted of her father. Copies of this portrait can be found at the National Portrait Gallery. The Victoria and Albert Museum and the Royal Institute of British Architects both have examples of her drawings. The Yale Center for British Art also owns a painting by Mary Smirke from 1823.
