Susan Dacre
Encyclopedia
Susan Isabel Dacre was an English artist of the Victorian era
.
She was born in Leamington, Warwickshire, and was educated at a convent school in Salford. For the decade of 1858–68 she lived in Paris, first attending school and later working as a governess. After a winter in Italy (1869), she returned to Paris, and was present during the Franco-Prussian War
and the Paris Commune
. She returned to England in 1871 and began studying art at the Manchester School of Art, where she won the Queen's Prize in 1875. She began a lifelong friendship with fellow artist Annie Swynnerton
; the two women pursued their art studies in Rome and Paris between 1874 and 1880.
Around 1872, Lord Leighton
dictated notes and observations on his methods of painting and composing his pictures to Susan Dacre, during a stay on the island of Capri
.
with a fellow - pupil Marie Bashkirtseff
and bracketed with her as first in the concourse mentioned in the famous diary.
Dacre was associated with Julian’s atelier on two different occasions:
1878-1879 when she completed a striking black and white chalk drawing, Portrait of a Young Girl in a Satin Cap, ca. 1879, which is owned by the Andre Del Debbio Collection, Paris.
Later she accomplished several works that gained her entry to the Paris Salon. For example, her Salon entry in 1881 was a portrait: Portrait of Mme. F.W. (no 579.)
Manchester Art Gallery
own a poignant oil painting Italian Women In Church.Throughout her career her portraits were admired in Italy, England and Paris.
After living in London for a time she returned to Manchester in 1883 and shared a studio in 10 King Street with the artist Mary Florence Monkhouse. After much campaigning by both Dacre and Monkhouse in 1897 Dacre was made a member of the council of the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts
and Monkhouse was appointed auditor.
At the Royal Jubilee Exhibition, Manchester 1887
she had her work on display, and assisted Ford Madox Brown with the decoration of the exhibition’s dome. Susan W Thomson, MVAS Manchester Art Press, 2007, Chapter 13 – Victorian Female Artists Making Their Mark On Manchester’s Art Scene, p.p.193-202.
and suffragette
. With Annie Swynnerton she founded the Manchester Society of Women Artists in 1876; Dacre also served as president of the organization. For a decade (1885–95), Dacre was a member of the executive committee of the Manchester National Society for Women's Suffrage.
Dacre's portrait of feminist editor Lydia Becker
is one of her best-known works.
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
.
She was born in Leamington, Warwickshire, and was educated at a convent school in Salford. For the decade of 1858–68 she lived in Paris, first attending school and later working as a governess. After a winter in Italy (1869), she returned to Paris, and was present during the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
and the Paris Commune
Paris Commune
The Paris Commune was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. It existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists had taken place, and it is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution...
. She returned to England in 1871 and began studying art at the Manchester School of Art, where she won the Queen's Prize in 1875. She began a lifelong friendship with fellow artist Annie Swynnerton
Annie Swynnerton
Annie Louisa Robinson Swynnerton was an English painter.She was born in Kersal, then a suburb of Manchester. She was one of the seven daughters of solicitor Francis Robinson; she began painting to contribute to the family's support. Later she trained at the Manchester School of Art and the...
; the two women pursued their art studies in Rome and Paris between 1874 and 1880.
Around 1872, Lord Leighton
Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton
Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton PRA , known as Sir Frederic Leighton, Bt, between 1886 and 1896, was an English painter and sculptor. His works depicted historical, biblical and classical subject matter...
dictated notes and observations on his methods of painting and composing his pictures to Susan Dacre, during a stay on the island of Capri
Capri
Capri is an Italian island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples, in the Campania region of Southern Italy...
.
Portraits and the Académie Julian
From 1877-1880 she was in Paris at the Académie JulianAcadémie Julian
The Académie Julian was an art school in Paris, France.Rodolphe Julian established the Académie Julian in 1868 at the Passage des Panoramas, as a private studio school for art students. The Académie Julian not only prepared students to the exams at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts, but offered...
with a fellow - pupil Marie Bashkirtseff
Marie Bashkirtseff
Marie Bashkirtseff was a Ukrainian-born diarist, painter and sculptor....
and bracketed with her as first in the concourse mentioned in the famous diary.
Dacre was associated with Julian’s atelier on two different occasions:
1878-1879 when she completed a striking black and white chalk drawing, Portrait of a Young Girl in a Satin Cap, ca. 1879, which is owned by the Andre Del Debbio Collection, Paris.
Later she accomplished several works that gained her entry to the Paris Salon. For example, her Salon entry in 1881 was a portrait: Portrait of Mme. F.W. (no 579.)
Manchester Art Gallery
Manchester Art Gallery
Manchester Art Gallery is a publicly-owned art gallery in Manchester, England. It was formerly known as Manchester City Art Gallery.The gallery was opened in 1824 and today occupies three buildings, the oldest of which - designed by Sir Charles Barry - is Grade I listed and was originally home to...
own a poignant oil painting Italian Women In Church.Throughout her career her portraits were admired in Italy, England and Paris.
After living in London for a time she returned to Manchester in 1883 and shared a studio in 10 King Street with the artist Mary Florence Monkhouse. After much campaigning by both Dacre and Monkhouse in 1897 Dacre was made a member of the council of the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts
Manchester Academy of Fine Arts
The Manchester Academy of Fine Arts is a society established in 1859 for the purpose of organising Annual Open Exhibitions in Manchester City Art Gallery, formerly the Manchester Institution...
and Monkhouse was appointed auditor.
At the Royal Jubilee Exhibition, Manchester 1887
Royal Jubilee Exhibition, Manchester 1887
The Royal Jubilee Exhibition of 1887 was held in Old Trafford, Manchester, England, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria's reign. It was opened by Princess Alexandra, wife of Edward, the Prince of Wales, on 3 May 1887, and remained open for 166 days, during which time there...
she had her work on display, and assisted Ford Madox Brown with the decoration of the exhibition’s dome. Susan W Thomson, MVAS Manchester Art Press, 2007, Chapter 13 – Victorian Female Artists Making Their Mark On Manchester’s Art Scene, p.p.193-202.
Feminist and Suffragette
Dacre was a noted feministFeminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
and suffragette
Suffragette
"Suffragette" is a term coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for members of the late 19th and early 20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union...
. With Annie Swynnerton she founded the Manchester Society of Women Artists in 1876; Dacre also served as president of the organization. For a decade (1885–95), Dacre was a member of the executive committee of the Manchester National Society for Women's Suffrage.
Dacre's portrait of feminist editor Lydia Becker
Lydia Becker
Lydia Ernestine Becker was a leader in the early British suffrage movement, as well as an amateur scientist with interests in biology and astronomy...
is one of her best-known works.