< 1890s / 1910s >
1900
Annie on the honorary sub-committee of the Fine Art Section of the Woman’s Exhibition at Earl’s Court, London, along with Countess Feodora Gleichen, The Marchioness of Granby, Miss Cecilia Beaux, Mrs. Anna Lea Merritt, Madame Henriette Ronner, Mrs. Marianne Stokes, Mrs. E. M. Ward and Mrs. G. F. Watts.
1901
DECEMBER
MISS ISABEL DACRE’S PICTURES FROM SPAIN. Miss Isabel Dacre, a member of the Manchester Academy of Art and president of the Manchester Society of Women Painters, is showing at Messrs, Grundy and Smith’s galleries in Exchange-street, a small collection of oil paintings, the result of her sojourn during the past summer in the south-east corner of Spain. Miss Dacre is best known as a figure and portrait painter, winning in those lines a well-deserved reputation; but she has not been altogether unknown as a landscape artist, witness her last vear’s exhibition of scenes from Perugia and Assisi. For a painter to go to Italy in search of material is not surprizing; but it augurs an unusual amount of courage for a woman artist to go into a rarely visited country like Spain. Miss Dacre has been amply rewarded by finding, within a limited area, an embarrassment of choice in pictorial subjects. Her chief fields have been Ronda, about twenty-five miles west of Gibraltar, and Granada, still further west. Ronda is shown from the western as well as from the eastern side. It is a superbly situated town or village. Artistically the western view is Miss Dacre’s most successful effort; as a piece of composition and colouring she has previously probably never equalled it. Of the Granada pictures, the view of the Alhambra will for many reasons prove -the most interesting. The Alhambra is a fortified suburb of Granada, a kind of acropolis, set in the midst of a magnificent range of mountains, the Sierra Nevada; and within it stand the remains of the superb palace of the ancient Moorish kings of Spain. It is chiefly known for its splendid interior. Miss Dacre gives us its outer aspect, where Nature enters into competition with one of man’s greatest architectural achievements. The other pictures in the collection will repay study, and the whole, small as it is, is sufficient to show that Miss Dacre’s observant eye is not dimmed nor has her hand lost its cunning.
Manchester City News, 7 Dec 1901, p2.
c. 1902-c. 1905
Annie recorded as sharing a studio at 27 Clareville Grove, London, during this period – a location also used by Joseph Swynnerton, Louise Jopling and others.
1903
JANUARY – “S. ISABEL DACRE, Studio, 10 Acomb-street. Classes for drawing, Painting, &c. … January 20, 10 a.m.” (The Guardian, 14 Jan 1903.) [10 Acomb Street is the same address as on Isabel’s painting Portrait of a girl wearing a bonnet.]
1904
FEBRUARY
Isabel elected a member of Manchester Academy of Art council.
AUGUST
19 August – Letter from Annie L. Swynnerton to Hugh Lane agreeing to donate a picture to the new modern art gallery in Dublin and thanking him for the honour of being asked to contribute.
VIA MONTEBELLO 2E / ROMA
National Library of Ireland.
August 19th. 1904
Dear Sir
I thank you for the notice you send me for the proposed Gallery of Modern Art in Dublin – I should be pleased … to be represented in such a collection and I … to be asked to contribute. But I hope … … … something decent as I am a slow worker – and … too flattering references … … …
Very truly yours
Annie L. Swynnerton
28 August – Letter from Vera Campbell to Hugh Lane expressing satisfaction that artists Le Sidaner and Swynnerton have promised pictures [to the Municipal Gallery] and other matters. (National Library of Ireland.)
29 August – Letter from Annie Louisa Swynnerton to Hugh Lane, granting him the academy picture as requested, (National Library of Ireland.)
VIA MONTABELLO 2 E / ROMA
Aug 29th
Dear Mr Lane
I am so pleased to h… … … which after some delay has been fowarded to me here
I [loced] most gladly comply with your . . . how the Academy … … of St Martin’ Summer but [rest of sentence illegible].
It is a pity that I am away … – there is a picture in my studio “Hebe” for which I am asking £200 a good work – not nude which … is the … objection
St Martins Summer
… I would be a .. to have that picture back for it wants more doing to – and I am so afraid [of it being] injured as the back is dreadfuly …
I do hope it has come to no harm – … the landscape “The Valley of the A..i..” lately shown in the New Gallery … … … be very suitable I think for Dublin … … this picture has new;y bought by the Chantry bequest people – I am asking £100 for it – If you would like that I … another picture as well for Dublin.
I may mention here that a friend of mine has offered to buy my “Oceanid” if it can be well placed in a National Collection – I do not offer this to Dublin because of its nudity & indeed should prefer it to be placed somwhere in England –
– I hope you will come to my studio – no 1A the Avenue 76 Fulham R as soon as I come back in the late Autumn
I should be so glad to see you and we could matters more satisfactorily
Very sincerely yours
Annie L. Swynnerton
OCTOBER
11 October – Letter from Annie Swynnerton to Hugh Lane (National Library of Ireland).
VIA MONTEBELLO 2E / ROMA
Oct 11th 1904
My dear Mr Lane
I am dreadfully ashamed to keep you … … … at last!
Yes you may have St Martins Summer for ,,, Gallery for £60 but may I … [half] the copyright? You see the picture took me three years … … … there is a chance of earning a … more – well one has to live!
You overwhelm me .. … … for my … work – I feel as if you were writing to somebody else – well – the picture I havepromised must wait ,,, a little – … I come to town in February, Oceanid is th ‘Sea Nymph‘ … … you may have for exhibition if I may have it early in the Spring – I want to show it in the New Gallery. The price is not less than £250 – should like £300
I wish you every success with the Gallery… may … protecting the backs of both pictures – … there is always danger to the … of them. I don’t want St Martin’s Summer removed from its frame for … … the surface … … (they will rub the faces … that in some instances I have had to scrape … to … the colours again!
… be left till I can come to it.
I thank you a thousand timeas for the interest you take in my work & on a more … every … me
Sincerely yours
Annie L. Swynnerton
If what I suggest is not feasible you shall still have the picture
NOVEMBER – Isabel moves to London (The Guardian, 21 Feb 1933]..
1905
Joseph Swynnerton‘s address given as 27 Clareville Grove, Gloucester Road, London. (Royal Academy Summer Exhibition catalogue.)
Isabel‘s address (on back of painting From a balcony at Perugia, 1911, and in 1929 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition catalogue for a painting called Sunset at Ronda) given as 30 South Vale, Blackheath, London S.E.
1906
In the spring of 1906 she [Alice Meynell*] went with Everard [Alice’s son] to Rome, where her friend Mrs Swynnerton had lent them a flat in the Via Montebello.
https://archive.org/details/slendertreelifeo0000bade/page/180/mode/2up
*Alice Meynard, 1847-1922, poet, writer and sufferage campaigner.
1907
MARCH – Letter from Annie to Flora Lion (1878-1958, portrait and occasional landscape artist.) She mentions feeling ‘exiled’ and missing her friends, having moved to Rome in ?1883.
Via Montebello. no 27 / (Augolo di Via Palestro) / Roma. / March 14th.
Dear Flora Lion,
I must write to you a line of thanks now that I have a picture at the Tate. I am sure it was entirely due to you that Mr. Aitken* came to see me with the result that he selects a group of work to be sent to the gallery. When Mr. Sargent heard of this he sent his picture The “Oreads” which the board naturally preferred to the rest. He, it seems, has presented the picture to the Gallery as have a letter to that effect from Mr. Aitken.
[* Charles Aitken, ‘Keeper’ at the Tate Gallery, 1911-1930.]
I do hope that all is well with you & that you have plenty of work these bad times. I shall be very glad to see you again – I miss my artist friends very much out here in Rome, quite exiled, & always your most generous appreciations of any work is very dear to me – now with love think very kind regards to Mr. Armato.
Believe me affect’y yours / Annie L. Swynnerton.
NOVEMBER
9 November – Annie shortlisted for admission to the Royal Academy: “Among the new names added to the long list of those nominated for the Royal Academy Associateship was that of Mrs. A. L. Swinnerton, a brilliant Manchester artist, whose striking “Oreades,” when exhibited Burlington House, was warmly praised by your art critic. The picture, is said, was afterwards purchased Mr. Sargent. Though Mrs. Swinnerton was unsuccessful the recent general assembly the Academy, she has the consolation of knowing that she is in good company, for Lady Butler failed one vote to gain Associate rank. As a matter of fact, there have only been two women members the Royal Academy since its establishment in 1769 – Angelica Kaufmann and Moser.” (Manchester Courier, 9 Nov 1907, p6.)
18 November – Letter from Joseph William Swynnerton to Hugh Lane, offering him the picture ‘Through the Orchard’ and that if Hugh Lane takes it now, Annie Louisa Swynnerton, will promise to do a sketch for him later on, (National Library of Ireland.)
1A The Avenue / 76 Fulham Road / S.W / Nov. 8. 1907 / Dear Mr. Lane
The large picture “Through the Orchard” is well painted in all its parts – pitcher included, but like from …ing Watts it is … work. In the old days £150 was offered for this picture, and we should not sell not under £200.
We could not afford to give you the Tusculum landscape as well, but if you take “Through the Orchard” now my wife promises to do you a sketch later on, which shall represent the new manner of work and be up to date and at the same time be something which she has not left as long by her as to grudge oarting with – which is the case with the Tusculum picture.
We thank you so much for your suggestion about Mrs. Matt[lins] little son, but we think it better to hear from Mrs. Matt[hins] herself, so many people seem to wish to have portraits done and then repent them. In any case my wife thanks you very warmly for your interest in the matter – and hopes you will excuse her not writing herself – she feels unwell – …
Very sincerely from
Joseph W. Swynnerton / over
“Through the Orchard” must be taken down and cleaned Ec.
Undated (presumed to be shortly after 18 November 1907). Letter from Annie L. Swynnerton to Hugh Lane regarding the packing of the picture for shipping to Dublin (catalogue.nli.ie). Some words unreadable. Words in square brackets uncertain.
Tuesday. Studio My dear Mr Lane, The picture has arrived but no word from …….. my husband, better addressed to the Club? How am I to send … “Through The Orchard.” Shall it be packed here & sent direct to Dublin …….. and I will do what you suggest. Something has to be done to the picture before it can go. It wants touching in parts – cleaning & glazing – I think the [plan should be persued / before loading in a case.]
[Hugh Lane gave to picture to the Irish nation in 1912, but sadly never lived to see it hung in it’s final home, losing his life on a return trip from New York as a passanger on the Lusitania, sunk by a German submarine in 1915.]
1908
Annie painted the Portrait of ount Zouboff while visiting Salsomaggiore Terme, a town in northern Italy.
1909
Annie elected as a member of the New English Art Club (Woman and Her Sphere).
FEBRUARY – Frederick Swynnerton (Joseph’s brother / Annie’s brother-in-law) writes a long article on Isle of Man archaeology for the journel of the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society, demonstrating a strong interest. He wrote other articles over the years for the journal, mainly archaeological, but also notes on children’s rhymes and an ancient tree of the Isle of Man.
NOVEMBER – Letter from Hugh Lane to Florence Phillips, November 1909.
Dear Mrs Phillips
By the time you get this you will be in a whirl of interesting work, I expect. Did you all enjoy your journey? Meeting Lutyens the architect the other day — with a Mrs Fenwick I asked them to write to the Mr Fenwick who owns the splendid full length lady in pink, that we saw at Mrs Swynnerton’s studio they both promised to do this, & I enclose Lutyens’ satisfying reply.
I have written to close with the offer as I would very much like to have the picture for Dublin if you do not want it. I think that it is the portrait of the year & Mrs S’s masterpiece.
I am much annoyed with her for not accepting your offer but this will be rather a blow to them, as they will not get the money, & it proves that the F’s don’t like the portrait […]
< 1890s / 1910s >
Page last updated 1 Sep 2025.
ANNIE LOUISA SWYNNERTON (1844-1933) 