Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) reading in the Drawing Room at 24 Cheyne Row, Chelsea, London
Helen Mary Elizabeth Allingham (Swadlincote 1848 - Haslemere 1926)
Category
Art / Drawings and watercolours
Date
1878
Materials
Watercolour on paper
Measurements
298 x 279 mm (11 3/4 x 11 in)
Collection
Carlyle's House, London
NT 263720
Summary
Watercolour on paper, Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) reading in the Drawing Room at 24 Cheyne Row, Chelsea, London by Helen Mary Elizabeth Allingham (Swadlincote 1848 - Haslemere 1926), signed and inscribed 'From life Dec. 1878'. Extract from William Allingham's diary - 'December 5th, 1878 - Carlyle has allowed Helen to sketch him as he reads in his drawing - room from 12 to 2 - 30, and she has had six sittings up to Dec 9th. Helen writes - - 'The first morning I went at Mary's invitation; after shaking hands with me C. left the room; when he returned I had arranged my things on the sofa, and I then called his attention to 'our special artist'. He said 'What?' and added, when he understood, 'I'll have nothing to do with any sketching'. At last M. persuaded him to let me stay, and he sat down before the fire to read a translation of a Russian poem'.' Helen Allingham, née Parsons studied at Birmingham School of Design and from 1867 atthe Royal Academy Schools. In 1874 she married the Irish poet William Allingham and abandoned producing black-and white illustrations for The Graphic and Illustrated London News for watercolours of the Englsh countryside. In 1875 she was an associate of the Society of Painters in Water-Colours becoming the first female member in 1890. She was friends with Myles Birket Foster (1825 - 1899) who shared her interest in depicting iydllic rural scenes and vernacular architecture with acute attention to detail. This portrait was done before her move out of the metropolis.
Provenance
Purchased with the assistance of a grant from the Art Fund, 1980.
Marks and inscriptions
'From life DEc. 1878'
Makers and roles
Helen Mary Elizabeth Allingham (Swadlincote 1848 - Haslemere 1926), artist