Mary McEvoy (artist)

Mary McEvoy
A painting by Mary McEvoy
Born	Mary Spencer Edwards 22 October 1870 Freshford, Somerset, England
Died	4 November 1941(1941-11-04) (aged 71) Freshford, Somerset
Nationality	British
Education	Slade School of Art
Known for	Painting
Spouse	Ambrose McEvoy (m.1902-1927, his death)

Mary Augusta McEvoy née Spencer Edwards (22 October 1870 – 4 November 1941) was a British artist known for her paintings of portraits, interiors and flowers.[1][2]

Biography

McEvoy was born in Freshford in Somerset and studied at the Slade School of Art in London.[3][4][5] Between 1900 and 1906 she was a regular exhibitor with the New English Art Club.[3][6] In 1902 she married the artist Ambrose McEvoy and in due course gave up a full-time art career although she worked with her husband on at least one major project. In 1909 Ambrose McEvoy was commissioned to paint a series of decorations for St Columba's Church, Long Tower in Derry which were to consist of three original works and twenty-two copies of bible scenes as depicted by Old Masters.[7] While Ambrose created the three original pieces, it is believed that Mary worked on the twenty-two copies, finding suitable sources, making cartoons and then painting enlarged versions onto copper panels for the church.[7]

After Ambrose died in 1927 Mary resumed painting and began exhibiting her work again.[3] Between 1928 and 1938 she exhibited twelve works at the Royal Academy in London and also had works shown at the Paris Salon.[6] During the 1930s Knoedlers Gallery in London showed a series of, mostly female, portraits by McEvoy.[7][4] The Tate collection holds her 1901 painting Interior: Girl Reading and also a bust of her by the sculptor Jacob Epstein.[8][9] Both the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art in Dublin and the Southampton City Art Gallery hold examples of her later works.[2]

References

1. Grant M. Waters (1975). Dictionary of British Artists Working 1900-1950. Eastbourne Fine Art.
2. HCG Matthew & Brian Harrison, ed. (2004). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Vol 35 (Macan-Macpherson). Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-861385-7.
3. Frances Spalding (1990). 20th Century Painters and Sculptors. Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN 1-85149-106-6.
4. Christopher Wood (1978). The Dictionary of Victorian Painters. Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN 0-902028-72-3.
5. Josephine Walpole (2006). A History and Dictionary of British Flower Painters 1650-1950. Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN 1-85149-504-5.
6. Brian Stewart; Mervyn Cutten (1997). The Dictionary of Portrait Painters in Britain up to 1920. Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN 1-85149-173-2.
7. Alicia Foster (2004). Tate Women Artists. Tate Publishing. ISBN 1-85437-311-0.
8. "Display caption: Interior:Girl Reading 1901". Tate. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
9. "Catalogue caption: Mrs Mary McEvoy 1909". Tate. Retrieved 26 September 2018.

External links

• 2 artworks by or after Mary McEvoy at the Art UK site