Forgotten Women

A famed socialite, Francis Evelyn Greville, Countess of Warwick, was known for her parties, various scandals and, perhaps surprisingly, her agricultural work.

After criticism for dressing as Marie Antoinette during a ball intended to create job opportunities for the poor, Lady Warwick became invested in socialism and the trade unions. This eventually led to the establishment of hostels to train young women in agriculture and horticulture. These hostels, originally located in Reading, would eventually become the all-women’s Studley Agricultural College.

This portrait of Lady Warwick was created by Alfred Egerton Cooper. It was a copy of earlier painting by the celebrated portraitist, John Singer Sargent. Sargent had painted a portrait of Lady Warwick and her son in 1905, while Egerton Cooper was his assistant. When this portrait was commissioned in the early 1950s, Sargent’s artwork had already been moved to the USA.

We can only hypothesise how Egerton Cooper’s version of this portrait was made. Perhaps the original painting by Sargant may have hung in the hostel in Reading, with older students remembered it well enough to request the recreation, or maybe Egerton Cooper simply had Sargent’s sketches from which he was able to recreate this work.

Albert Egerton Cooper, Francis Evelyn, Countess of Warwick (1861-1938), 1951-55, oil on canvas, UAC/10255.

A leading horticulturist, Helen Ekins OBE dedicated her life to educating young people. After studying at Studley Agricultural College, Ekins went on to become a  lecturer, then warden, and finally Principal of the College. A popular figure among both colleagues and her students, she was labelled as ‘the most highly qualified man or woman in horticulture in England’. Today, the University of Reading honours Ekins annually through the presentation of the ‘Helen Ekins Memorial Prize’ for a leading woman in horticulture.

This portrait of Ekins portrays her as an educated woman and academic. Shown at a desk in plain clothing and stripped of any frivolous backgrounds, the focus of the print is confined to Ekins at work. However, for Ekins, a woman who dedicated her life to the study of horticulture and the transmission of knowledge through teaching, this makes perfect sense. This portrayal is in stark contrast to historical portraits and, indeed, the other works in this exhibition.

Unknown artist, Helen Ekins, OBE, c.1920, coloured print, UAC/10262.

A known art collector and benefactor, Lady Harriet Sarah Loyd-Lindsay, Baroness Wantage, founded the oldest hall of residence at the University of Reading in 1908. Parts of her collection are currently on display in this building, known as Wantage Hall. Although active on the ladies’ committee of the British Red Cross and in her husband’s business ventures, Lady Wantage was a staunch traditionalist and held the position as President of the North Berks Anti-Suffrage League.

One of several portraits of Lady Wantage in the University of Reading Art Collection, this painting was created by Briton Riviere. Riviere, who also held a degree from Oxford University, was best known for his animal paintings. While he did produce several portraits during his career, many of these painting did also contain animals in the image. This portrait is an excellent example with a donkey depicted in a prominent position beside Lady Wantage. In addition, while Lady Wantage is shown in a simple dress with minimal jewellery, the donkey has been dressed in tassels, necklaces and an extravagant saddle cloth of leopard print and red.

Briton Riviere, Lady Wantage and Her Egyptian Donkey, oil on canvas, 1897. UAC/10058.

This reproductive print is the only image we have in the University of Reading Art Collection of Elizabeth Sarah Palmer, née Meteyard, wife of George Palmer. Palmer was co-founder of Huntley and Palmers Biscuit Factory and the couple lived at ‘The Acacias’, a building now on the London Road Campus.

The photographic print reproduces an oil portrait made around 1887 by Arthur Stockdale Cope, who was commissioned by the Palmer family to create pendant portraits of Elizabeth and George. Though the University holds the portrait of George Palmer, the portrait of Elizabeth did not make it into the collection. It is possible that the University of Reading acquired George’s portrait but rejected Elizabeth’s at the time of acquisition. It was common in the 19^th and 20^th centuries for the portraits of wives of notable male individuals to be rejected for acquisition and sold on, whilst the portrait of the male sitter would be bought and prominently displayed.

A highly respected artist, Sir Arthur Stockdale Cope began exhibiting his work the Royal Academy aged only 19 years old. Once more established, he became known for painting monarchs like George V, alongside creating artworks for wealthy members of British society. It would have been a great honour and a symbol of your place in society to have your portrait painted by Stockdale, so the fact that we do not know where the original portrait of Elizabeth Palmer is, is a great mystery.

Can you help us find the original oil portrait of Elizabeth Sarah Palmer?

Arthur Stockdale Hope, Elizabeth Sarah Palmer (1825-1894), photographic reproduction, UAC/10087.