Helen Donald-Smith (before 30 September 1852 – 23 July 1933) was a British artist who worked in oil and watercolour, and was active

circa Circa is a word of Latin origin meaning 'approximately'. Circa or CIRCA may also refer to: * CIRCA (art platform), art platform based in London * Circa (band), a progressive rock supergroup * Circa (company), an American skateboard footwear com ...

1890–1925. Her work featured landscapes, particularly of

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

, and portraits, including that of Brigadier General F.W. Lumsden VC, DSO. Born Helen Mary Smith and baptised at Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland on 30 September 1852, she was the fifth and youngest child of Donald Smith and his wife Mary (nee McKerrell). Both she and her mother adopted the hyphenated surname Donald-Smith later in life when living in London. She died at Kensington on 23 July 1933 never having married.

Career

On 14 March 1890, ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'' reviewed an exhibition of the

Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI), initially called the New Society of Painters in Water Colours, is one of the societies in the Federation of British Artists, based in the Mall Galleries in London. History In 1831 the so ...

, finding the exhibition in general to be of "fair average quality.''

'', p. 4, 14 March 1890. Retrieved fro
infotrac.galegroup.com
21 March 2008. A rather novel feature of it is that some of the best works are contributed by the oldest of the members and the youngest of the outsiders". The work was commented on individually, and the (anonymous) reviewer found "charming examples of the art of three ladies, flower-pieces by Madame Teresa Hegg de Lauderset (210) and Mrs. Duffield, and a pair of Thames landscapes by Miss H. Donald-Smith (209, 211). These last show a marked advance on any of the artist's previous work." She painted Sir

William Robert Grove Sir William Robert Grove, FRS FRSE (11 July 1811 – 1 August 1896) was a Welsh judge and physical scientist. He anticipated the general theory of the conservation of energy, and was a pioneer of fuel cell technology. He invented the Grove voltai ...

c. 1890s (NPG 1478) and Mary Mackay ("

Marie Corelli Mary Mackay (1 May 185521 April 1924), also called Minnie Mackey, and known by her pseudonym Marie Corelli (, also , ), was an English novelist. From the appearance of her first novel ''A Romance of Two Worlds'' in 1886, she became the bestsel ...

") in 1897 (NPG 4891). She painted Mrs (Edward) Alexander James Duff, née (Amy) Katherine Barnett (1854–1943). She painted Mary Elizabeth Kathleen

Dulcie Deamer Mary Elizabeth Kathleen Dulcie Deamer (13 December 1890 – 16 August 1972) was a New Zealand-born Australian novelist, poet, journalist and actor. She was a founder and committee member of the Fellowship of Australian Writers. Life Deamer was bo ...

(1890–1972) about 1921. In December 1906, she had a solo exhibition, '' River, lake and garden : exhibition of water-colours by Miss H. Donald-Smith'', at the Modern Gallery, 61

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. This was visited by

Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, (Louisa Caroline Alberta; 18 March 1848 – 3 December 1939) was the sixth child and fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. In her public life, she was a strong proponent of the arts and highe ...

who also viewed on the same premises an exhibition by Percy French and the picture ''Mater Christi'' by Herman Salomon. On 10 March 1909, the Baillie Gallery, which had recently moved from

Baker Street Baker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder William Baker, who laid out the street in the 18th century. The street is most famous for its connection to the fictional detec ...

to 13

Bruton Street Bruton Street is a street in London's Mayfair district. It runs from Berkeley Square in the south-west to New Bond Street in the north-east, where it continues as Conduit Street. Notable residents have included Field Marshal John Campbell, 2nd ...

, staged their fourth annual exhibition of flower paintings.''The Times'', p. 15, 10 March 1909. Retrieved fro
infotrac.galegroup.com
21 March 2008. ''

'' described the proprietor as having "an excellent taste in art" and his exhibitions of "a fairly high standard". The flower painting genre was one which had fallen into disfavour, after a high point, but which was now being revived again. 148 works were on display, under a third showing gardens and the others depicting flowers. At the same time as this show, two adjacent rooms were given over to 63 drawings of

by Donald-Smith, whose reputation had previously been for her oil paintings, particularly her portraits. Venice was a subject in vogue at the time. Donald-Smith’s work was reviewed as "Without any great distinction they are very accurate and very agreeable, and any lover of Venice may spend a most pleasant half-hour amongst these pictures of the beloved city." In July 1913, Donald-Smith was recorded on the First List of Subscriptions, as having given £3.3.0 to the Lord Wolseley Memorial Fund, where she was titled "Miss". In 1920, the Mess of the

Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...

commissioned two portraits from Donald-Smith of Brigadier General F.W. Lumsden VC, DSO (1871–1918), of the Royal Marine Artillery. The work is now housed in the

Royal Marines Museum The Royal Marines Museum is a museum on the history of the Royal Marines from their beginnings in 1664 through to the present day. A registered charity, it is also a designated service museum under the terms of the National Heritage Act 198 ...

in the Royal Marine Artillery Barracks,

Southsea Southsea is a seaside resort and a geographic area of Portsmouth, Portsea Island in England. Southsea is located 1.8 miles (2.8 km) to the south of Portsmouth's inner city-centre. Southsea is not a separate town as all of Portsea Island's s ...

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...

."Highlights of Hampshire's Collections"
, Lianne Jarrett Associates. Retrieved 23 March 2008. In February 1925, there was an exhibition of 90 water colours by Donald-Smith at the Gieves Gallery, 22

Old Bond Street Bond Street in the West End of London links Piccadilly in the south to Oxford Street in the north. Since the 18th century the street has housed many prestigious and upmarket fashion retailers. The southern section is Old Bond Street and the l ...

, London.''

'', p. 12, 4 February 1925. Retrieved fro
infotrac.galegroup.com
21 March 2008. These ranged over a number of English counties, as well as some Italian locations, including Venice. They were described as coming into the genre of "pretty pictures" by ''The Times'', which said:

Auction

*''Feeding Pigeons, St Marks Square, Venice'', a work on paper, was auctioned at

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on 18 October 1990, for £1,400."H Donald-Smith
blouinartinfo.com, retrieved 25 March 2008. *''Portrait of Young Mother and Daughter on Marble Garden Seat'', work on paper, was auctioned at Graves Son & Pilcher Fine Arts on 28 September 1995, for £900. *''Portrait of a Young Girl in a Blue Dress and Matching Bonnet, Holding a Lily'' 1897, pastel,Described as "works on paper" b
blouinartinfo.com
and "pastel on canvas" b
artnet.com
retrieved 25 March 2008. was auctioned at

Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, at Rockefeller Center in New York City and at Alexandra House in Hong Kong. It is ...

South Kensington South Kensington, nicknamed Little Paris, is a district just west of Central London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Historically it settled on part of the scattered Middlesex village of Brompton. Its name was supplanted with ...

, ''British, Continental & Russian Pictures'', on 19 July 2006, for £300.

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Donald-Smith, Helen English women painters English watercolourists Year of death unknown Women watercolorists 19th-century English painters 20th-century English painters 20th-century English women 19th-century English women artists Year of birth uncertain

Career

Auction

See also

Notes and references