Photos: Jonathan Russell.

• Title(s): Through the Orchard (The Manchester Evening News, 9 Feb 1883); The Young Mother (1923 catalogue; Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin); Thro’ the Orchard (Manchester Evening News, 15 Jul 1885, p2; Grosvenor Gallery Intercolonial Exhibition, 1887 [reference?]; Woman’s Exhibition, Earl’s Court, London, 1890).
• Description:
• Media: oil on canvas (Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin).
• Dimensions: 53.0 x 33.7 cm (Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin).
• Signature/date/other text: signed bottom right, some of the text obscure, “… L Robinson / 18…”.
• History:
  • 1883 – Signed and dated.
  • 1884 – Exhibited Grosvenor Gallery, no. 233, “Miss A. L. Robinson” (Grosvenor Notes, 1884).
  • 1885 – Exhibited Manchester Academy of Fine Arts, 10 Feb (Manchester Evening News, 9 Feb 1895).
  • 1887 – Exhibited Grosvenor Gallery Intercolonial Exhibition, Melbourne Public Library, 27 October (exhibition lasting approx. two months) [information c/o Lara Nicholls (National Gallery of Australia, Canberra].
  • 1900 – Exhibited Women’s Exhibition, Earl’s Court, London.
  • 1907-1908 – Sold to Hugh Lane, the delivery being discussed Nov 1907 and in his possession 1908.
  • 1923 – Exhibited Manchester Art Gallery – Paintings by Mrs Swynnerton, no.57, “The Young Mother … Painted at Clovelly”.
  • 2018-2019 – Exhibited Manchester Art Gallery, 23 Feb 2018 to 6 Jan 2019.
• Location: Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin.

Dated “1903 – 1905” according to Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, but historical records show several years earlier.

Undoubtedly “the picture” of this year’s [Manchester Academy of Fine Arts] exhibition is Mrs. Swynnerton’s (Miss Annie L. Robinson, of yore), “Through the Orchard,” (66.) The work fully deserves the principle place of honour which has been assigned to it. It is masterly in treatment throughout; the composition, colour, drawing, and handling being nearly all that could be desired.

The Manchester Evening News, 9 Feb 1883:

Different sources have ‘Thro’ the Orchard,’ ‘Through the Orchard’ (including in letters between the Swynnertons and Hugh Lane regarding the painting), The Little Mother or ‘The Young Mother,’ the latter being the title used in the 1923 exhibition catalogue and currently by the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin.

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Thanks to Lara Nicholls (National Gallery of Australia, Canberra) for information on the 1887 exhibition.

Page last updated 29 Sep 2025.