This is the catalogue of the first modern exhibition of Elizabeth Forbes' work, which was held at Penlee House (later transferring to the
Djanogly) in 2000; we note in passing that one of the authors is a compiler of
Phryne, but she is not writing this little review!
The book majors on the biography of Elizabeth Forbes, which basically consists
of the following phases: her arrival from Canada and determinedly independent
existence as a 'lady artist' travelling around Europe, dragging her mother along
as chaperone; her marriage to Stanhope, and (despite his mother-fixation) an
idyllic life working and teaching in Newlyn; and her tragic death from cancer,
followed by that of her son in the World War I. This satisfactory
three-act structure is all put together very competently and illustrated with
appropriate Victorian detail and many of Elizabeth's pictures (most in B&W,
however, alas).
There is also a catalogue raisoné, although the value of this is
limioted as there are so many pictures in private collections or of unknown
whereabouts.
What is less satisfactory is the connection between biography and pictures. The
text spends little time on individual works, while the catalogue restricts
itself to details of provenance; so an appreciation of individual compositions
and changes of style slips through. It is made perfectly clear that Elizbeth
Forbes was studied in the ubiquitous plein air academy of Bastien-Lepage, and that her works on paper
were influenced by Whistler and his cronies. But one can see other influences,
and it would have been interesting to read more analysis of the individual
pictures -- and Elizabeth Forbes own genius.
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