Sarah Cecilia Harrison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sarah Cecilia Harrison
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Sarah Cecilia Harrison's 1889 self-portrait is now in Dublin City Gallery
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| Born | 21 June 1863  |
| Died | 23 July 1941 (aged 78) |
Sarah Cecilia Harrison (1863–1941) was a talented Irish artist. She was also a pioneer for women in politics. She became the first woman to serve on the Dublin City Council. Her life showed how art and social change can go hand in hand.
Contents
Who Was Sarah Cecilia Harrison?
Early Life and Learning
Cecilia Harrison was born in 1863 in Holywood, County Down, Ireland. Her family was quite wealthy. She was related to some important historical figures. These included Henry Joy McCracken, a leader in the Society of United Irishmen, and Mary Ann McCracken, who fought against slavery.
When Cecilia was ten, her father passed away. Her family then moved to London, England. She went to school at Queens College in London. There, she won a silver medal for her painting. She also studied art at the famous Slade School of Fine Art from 1878 to 1885. She even won a special scholarship there. To learn more, she traveled to places like Paris, Italy, and Amsterdam.
Her Art Career
In 1889, Cecilia moved to Dublin, Ireland. She quickly became one of Ireland's best portrait artists. A portrait is a painting of a person. She showed many of her paintings at important art exhibitions. These included the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin and the Royal Academy of Arts in London. She was also given an honorary title by the Royal Ulster Academy of Fine Arts. This showed how respected she was in the art world.
Famous Paintings
Cecilia Harrison's art style was very detailed and realistic. Her paintings can be seen in many famous galleries. These include the National Gallery of Ireland and the Hugh Lane Gallery. One of her most famous works is a portrait of Hugh Lane. He was a very important person who helped create a modern art gallery in Dublin. After he passed away, Cecilia was very sad. She had been very close to him.
- Portrait of Henry Joy McCracken (at the Ulster Museum)
- Portrait of Hugh Lane
- Portrait of Scottish Writer (1897)
- Portrait of a Young Lady Reading (sold for €6,600 in 2014)
A Pioneer in Politics
Cecilia's brother, Henry, was a politician. He supported Charles Stewart Parnell, a famous Irish leader. Cecilia herself made history in 1912. She became the first woman ever elected to the Dublin Corporation, which was like the city council.
As a city councilor, she worked hard to help people. She wanted to make sure that unemployed people could get help. She also strongly supported women's rights. She worked with other important figures like Alderman Alfie Byrne.
Cecilia was also a big part of the women's right to vote movement. In 1918, she took part in a big parade celebrating this victory. She even helped Anna Haslam, another important woman's rights leader, to vote in the 1918 Irish general election.
Her Lasting Impact
Sarah Cecilia Harrison passed away in 1941 at the age of 78. She is buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery. Her gravestone says, "Artist and Friend of the Poor." This simple message perfectly describes her life.
She is remembered as a great artist. But she is also known as a nationalist, someone who loved her country. She was a social reformer, working to make society better. And she was a feminist, fighting for equal rights for women. Her work continues to inspire people today.
