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The 19th century brought highs and lows to Ireland. Probably the greatest human catastrophe came over the island with the potato blight. The rural population was deprived of all means of livelihood and those who were very lucky found a place on a ship sailing to a better world. The Irish population left behind suffered the after effects of the famine for a long time. The few Irish artists had retreated to the mainland. European painters were drawn to France. There, the Impressionists had discovered open-air painting and there was a growing desire on the art scene to explore the technique. Young artists rarely stayed on the island. Artistic training was only feasible for members of the Irish upper classes and consequently these were difficult times for young women who aspired to artistic careers.
Rose Mary Barton was born in Dublin. The daughter of an advocate, she enjoyed the benefits of a private education. Together with her sister and cousin, she intensified her artistic skills in Brussels. Rose Mary Barton became friends with the artist Mildred Anne Butler and the women formed an intimate circle. Rose devoted herself to painting in watercolour. Landscapes and the particular sub-form of cityscapes were among the artist's favorite subjects. The artist chose her food points deliberately and found her home and sphere of activity in the urban life of Dublin and London. When the haze and fog drifted through the streets in atmospheric moods, Rose began to apply delicate watercolours. The artist had a talent for capturing the damp atmosphere of the London fog. She illuminated the scenes with the glimmer, often just glimpsed, of streetlights. Barton makes her viewers feel the wetness they perceive on the shiny streets. A high degree of authenticity in the city portraits, with their hidden gardens and lively street scenes, led to their use as illustrations to provide pictorial support for the city portrait.
Little is known art historically about the woman behind the artist. Rose loved horse racing and betting on who would win. She was politically liberal and committed to social issues. After her artistic training ended, her friend Mildred Anne Butler withdrew into family life. Few points of contact remained between the two women. Barton became a member of the Society of Women Artists. An association of artists dedicated to mentoring and promoting women in the arts. The 19th century image of women saw women in a passive role. A woman's ability to paint a picture led to controversy in the British art scene. Expectations of representational ability were much higher for a female artist than for her male counterparts, creating a high pressure to perform. As a community of active women artists, this supported women to find their place in the visual arts.
The 19th century brought highs and lows to Ireland. Probably the greatest human catastrophe came over the island with the potato blight. The rural population was deprived of all means of livelihood and those who were very lucky found a place on a ship sailing to a better world. The Irish population left behind suffered the after effects of the famine for a long time. The few Irish artists had retreated to the mainland. European painters were drawn to France. There, the Impressionists had discovered open-air painting and there was a growing desire on the art scene to explore the technique. Young artists rarely stayed on the island. Artistic training was only feasible for members of the Irish upper classes and consequently these were difficult times for young women who aspired to artistic careers.
Rose Mary Barton was born in Dublin. The daughter of an advocate, she enjoyed the benefits of a private education. Together with her sister and cousin, she intensified her artistic skills in Brussels. Rose Mary Barton became friends with the artist Mildred Anne Butler and the women formed an intimate circle. Rose devoted herself to painting in watercolour. Landscapes and the particular sub-form of cityscapes were among the artist's favorite subjects. The artist chose her food points deliberately and found her home and sphere of activity in the urban life of Dublin and London. When the haze and fog drifted through the streets in atmospheric moods, Rose began to apply delicate watercolours. The artist had a talent for capturing the damp atmosphere of the London fog. She illuminated the scenes with the glimmer, often just glimpsed, of streetlights. Barton makes her viewers feel the wetness they perceive on the shiny streets. A high degree of authenticity in the city portraits, with their hidden gardens and lively street scenes, led to their use as illustrations to provide pictorial support for the city portrait.
Little is known art historically about the woman behind the artist. Rose loved horse racing and betting on who would win. She was politically liberal and committed to social issues. After her artistic training ended, her friend Mildred Anne Butler withdrew into family life. Few points of contact remained between the two women. Barton became a member of the Society of Women Artists. An association of artists dedicated to mentoring and promoting women in the arts. The 19th century image of women saw women in a passive role. A woman's ability to paint a picture led to controversy in the British art scene. Expectations of representational ability were much higher for a female artist than for her male counterparts, creating a high pressure to perform. As a community of active women artists, this supported women to find their place in the visual arts.