“Among the Most Promising…”

Minnie Jane Hardman and the Late Victorian Royal Academy Schools

Minnie Jane Hardman (née Shubrook) (1862-1952) was a student at the Royal Academy Schools in 1883-1889. One of approximately twelve female students admitted yearly, she started at the Academy only twenty-three years after the first female student was accidentally accepted in 1860.

By the 1880s, women were still only permitted to attend the antique and painting schools, and Academy registers show that Hardman spent much of her time isolated from the men in classes dedicated to “Ladies Painting”.

The breadth and unrivalled coverage of the Minnie Jane Hardman Collection at the University of Reading provides a unique and in-depth insight into the education and practice of a female artist during this period. Works include sketches after the antique, anatomical and life drawings, and studies and examination papers in perspective. Many are complete with labels recording Hardman’s class number, surname, age, register number and stage and the collection includes a series of prize–winning works, underlining her accomplishment as a draughtswoman.

Discophoros (the discus-bearer) in three "anatomical" layers

Study of the Wrestlers, or Pancrastinae

Bust-length portrait of a young woman, head turned to the right

Bust-length portrait of a woman, facing front

Bust-length portrait of a woman in front of patterned wallpaper

Bust-length portrait of a woman, head turned to the right

Study of a standing female nude

Nude study of a seated young boy

Study of a hand

Study of Heracles drawn in three "anatomical" layers

Study of Heracles, viewed from behind

Half-length study of a semi-draped male carrying a pole

Study of a plaster cast of a foot

Portrait head of a man

Study of a bust of Homer

Bust-length portrait of an old woman

Study of a classical bust, probably depicting Lucius Verus

Portrait head of a bearded man

Study of a bust of Hermes

Study of the Dancing Faun

Study of the head of a companion of Odysseus

Study of a bust of a classical goddess, probably Aphrodite

Study of the head of a classical goddess, probably Hera

Study of a plaster cast of a foot

Study of the head of a classical goddess

Portrait head of a woman

Bust-length portrait of a woman

Study of a portrait bust, possibly representing Emperor Titus Vespasianus Augustus

Bust-length portrait of a woman

Bust-length portrait of a young woman

Study of the head of a companion of Odysseus, possibly

Study of a bust of Augustus

Bust-length portrait of a woman

Study of a draped classical figure, half length

Discophoros (the discus-bearer) in three "anatomical" layers

1882-1883

Charcoal, ink and pencil on paper

UAC/10610 (Study of the Discophoros)

UAC/10609 (Écorché drawing modelled on the Discophorus)

UAC/10608 (Anatomical drawing of a skeleton, modelled on the Discophorus)

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-20,19,18

Study of the Wrestlers, or Pancrastinae

c. 1883

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10652

Bust-length portrait of a young woman, head turned to the right

c.1884-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10633

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-4

Bust-length portrait of a woman, facing front

c.1884-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10590

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-6

Bust-length portrait of a woman in front of patterned wallpaper

1886

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10630

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-17

Bust-length portrait of a woman, head turned to the right

c.1884-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10588

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-20

Study of a standing female nude

c.1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10627

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-14

Nude study of a seated young boy

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10594

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-27

Study of a hand

c. 1883

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10593

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-26

Study of Heracles drawn in three "anatomical" layers

1882-1883

Charcoal, ink and pencil on paper

UAC/106oo (Study of Heracles)

UAC/10599 (Écorché drawing modelled on Heracles)

UAC/10598 (Anatomical drawing of a skeleton, modelled on Heracles)

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-16,12,11

Study of Heracles, viewed from behind

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10601

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-13

Half-length study of a semi-draped male carrying a pole

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10607

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-29

Study of a plaster cast of a foot

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10586

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-2

Portrait head of a man

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10591

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-7

Portrait head of a man

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10597

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-28

Study of a bust of Homer

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10584

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-24

Bust-length portrait of an old woman

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10587

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-3

Study of a classical bust, probably depicting Lucius Verus

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10592

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-8

Portrait head of a bearded man

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10604

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-15

Study of a bust of Hermes

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10605

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-23

Study of the Dancing Faun

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10612

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-22

Study of the head of a companion of Odysseus

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10606

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-17

Study of a bust of a classical goddess, probably Aphrodite

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10613

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-1

Study of the head of a classical goddess, probably Hera

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10621

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-8

Study of a plaster cast of a foot

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10615

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-3

Study of a plaster cast of a foot

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10614

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-2

Study of the head of a classical goddess

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10647

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000147-4

Portrait head of a woman

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10625

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-12

Bust-length portrait of a woman

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10634

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-21

Study of a portrait bust, possibly representing Emperor Titus Vespasianus Augustus

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10632

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-19

Bust-length portrait of a woman

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10635

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-22

Bust-length portrait of a young woman

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10649

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000147-6

Study of the head of a companion of Odysseus, possibly

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10620

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-7

Study of a bust of Augustus

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10622

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000146-9

Bust-length portrait of a woman

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10589

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000124-5

Study of a draped classical figure, half length

c. 1883-1889

Charcoal on paper

UAC/10650

Credit line - Orphan Works Licensing Scheme OWLS000147-7