Cecile Walton
Encyclopedia
Cecile Walton was a Scottish painter, illustrator and sculptor. She and her husband Eric were two of the moving spirits of the Edinburgh
chapter of the Symbolist movement in the early 20th century.
She was born in Glasgow
, the daughter of the artists Helen and Edward Arthur Walton
. At an early age her family moved to London, where she began her art studies. She also attended the Edinburgh College of Art
, the Académie de la Grande Chaumière
and spent some time in Florence
. Against her parents' advice, she married her fellow Edinburgh student, Eric Harald Macbeth Robertson (1887-1941) in 1914. Eric had abandoned architecture and turned to art. He was described as “one of the most brilliant art students of his period”. They had two sons, the first, Gavril, born in February 1915 and the second, Edward, in December 1919.
Eric, Cecile and the painter Dorothy Johnstone (1892-1980) had formed a close painting and physical liaison, but Eric's excessive drinking led in 1923 to the collapse of the trio and Cecile's moving in with Dorothy. Her painting career foundered with their marriage, and she turned to the theatre and working for BBC
radio. Eric's career also collapsed after their separation, and he eventually succumbed to alcohol.
She is best known for her ironic self-portrait Romance, in which she depicts herself as a latter-day Olympia, critically inspecting her younger son.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
chapter of the Symbolist movement in the early 20th century.
She was born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, the daughter of the artists Helen and Edward Arthur Walton
Edward Arthur Walton
Edward Arthur Walton was a Scottish painter of landscapes and portraits. Edward was one of twelve children of Jackson Walton, a Manchester commission agent and a competent painter and photographer...
. At an early age her family moved to London, where she began her art studies. She also attended the Edinburgh College of Art
Edinburgh College of Art
Edinburgh College of Art is an art school in Edinburgh, Scotland, providing tertiary education in art and design disciplines for over two thousand students....
, the Académie de la Grande Chaumière
Académie de la Grande Chaumière
The Académie de la Grande Chaumière is an art school in the VIe arrondissement of Paris, France. The school was founded in 1902 by the Swiss Martha Stettler , who refused to teach the strict academic rules of painting of the École des Beaux-Arts. It opened the way to the "Art Indépendant"...
and spent some time in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. Against her parents' advice, she married her fellow Edinburgh student, Eric Harald Macbeth Robertson (1887-1941) in 1914. Eric had abandoned architecture and turned to art. He was described as “one of the most brilliant art students of his period”. They had two sons, the first, Gavril, born in February 1915 and the second, Edward, in December 1919.
Eric, Cecile and the painter Dorothy Johnstone (1892-1980) had formed a close painting and physical liaison, but Eric's excessive drinking led in 1923 to the collapse of the trio and Cecile's moving in with Dorothy. Her painting career foundered with their marriage, and she turned to the theatre and working for BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio. Eric's career also collapsed after their separation, and he eventually succumbed to alcohol.
She is best known for her ironic self-portrait Romance, in which she depicts herself as a latter-day Olympia, critically inspecting her younger son.