Stella Steyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stella Steyn
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Stella Steyn, c. 1930
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| Born | 26 December 1907 Dublin, Ireland
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| Died | 21 July 1987 (aged 79) |
| Education | Alexandra College |
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Notable work
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Illustrations for James Joyce's Finnegans Wake |
Stella Steyn (born December 26, 1907 – died July 21, 1987) was a talented Irish artist. She was known for her unique paintings and illustrations.
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About Stella Steyn's Life
Stella Steyn was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1907. Her father, William Steyn, was a dentist, and her mother, Bertha Jaffe, was from Lithuania. Stella was part of the Jewish community in Ireland.
Her Journey in Art Education
Stella loved art from a young age. She studied at Alexandra College and then at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art in 1924. When she was 18, in 1926, she traveled to Paris with her mother and another artist, Hilda Roberts. In Paris, she continued her art studies at famous schools like the Académie Scandinave and La Grande Chaumière. Later, in 1931, she went to Germany to study at the Bauhaus, which was a very important art and design school.
Meeting Famous Writers
While Stella was studying in Paris, she met some very famous writers. She met Samuel Beckett, who would later become a Nobel Prize winner. She also met James Joyce, another incredibly important writer. Joyce was so impressed by Stella's art that he asked her to create illustrations for his big book, Finnegans Wake. This was a huge honor for a young artist!
Awards and Recognition
Stella's talent was recognized early on. In 1928, she won the Tailteann Silver Medal in Dublin. She even took part in the art competitions at the 1928 Summer Olympics, showing how her art was seen on a global stage.
Life in England
In 1938, Stella married David Ross. He was a professor of French at the University of London. They had met in Germany a few years earlier. After they got married, Stella and David lived in England, where David worked at different universities.
Stella Steyn's Art Legacy
For many years, Stella Steyn's work was not very well known in Ireland. However, this changed thanks to special art shows. In 1995, the Gorry Gallery in Dublin held an exhibition of her paintings. Then, in 2001, The Molesworth Gallery also showed her work. These shows helped people rediscover her amazing art.
One of her paintings, called Still Life - Flowers, was even displayed in the home of the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, chosen by his wife, Sarah Brown. Today, you can see some of Stella Steyn's artwork at the Tatha Gallery in Fife, Scotland.
