Joan Jameson (4 October 1892 – 22 September 1953) was an Irish artist, known for paintings of still-life, figures and landscapes.

Life

Joan Jameson was born Joan Moira Maud, on 4 October 1892, in London. She was the eldest of the two daughters of Sir Richard John Musgrave, 5th Baronet, and Jesse Sophia. Her mother was the daughter of

Robert Dunsmuir Robert Dunsmuir (August 31, 1825April 12, 1889) was a Scottish-Canadian coal mine developer, owner and operator, railway developer, industrialist and politician in British Columbia. He was recognized as a National Historic Person by the governm ...

. Jameson was educated at home and in Paris, studying art at the

Académie Julian The Académie Julian () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907) that was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number a ...

. On 11 June 1920, she married

Tom Jameson Tom Ormsby Jameson (4 April 1892 – 6 February 1965) was an Irish first-class cricketer. A right-handed batsman and right-arm fast and leg spin bowler, he played just twice for the Ireland cricket team between 1926 and 1928 in first-class ma ...

of Rock House,

Ardmore, County Waterford Ardmore () is a seaside resort and fishing village in County Waterford, Ireland, not far from Youghal on the south coast of Ireland. It has a permanent population of around 430, that increases in the tourist season. It is believed to be the olde ...

. The couple lived in London until 1929, and on the death of Sir Richard, they returned to Tourin, Waterford. Jameson would make regular visits to London, as it offered a larger choice of exhibiting venues. In the 1950s, the couple moved from Tourin to the Rock House. Jameson was part of large social circle including her close acquaintances fellow artist

Norah McGuinness Norah Allison McGuinness (7 November 1901 – 22 November 1980) was an Irish painter and illustrator. Early life Norah McGuinness was born in County Londonderry. She attended life classes at Derry Technical School and from 1921 studied at ...

and writer

Molly Keane Molly Keane (20 July 1904 – 22 April 1996),Who's Who 1987 Mary Nesta Skrine, and who also wrote as M. J. Farrell, was an Irish novelist and playwright. Early life Keane was born Mary Nesta Skrine in Ryston Cottage, Newbridge, County Kildar ...

, who visited her in Waterford. Jameson had two sons, William Shane Musgrave and Julian Richard Musgrave. She died on 22 September 1953, and is buried at Ardmore. The sculptor

Seamus Murphy Seamus Murphy, (15 July 1907 – 2 October 1975) was an Irish sculptor and stone carver, best known for designing the Church of the Annunciation, Blackpool, Cork. Examples of his unique carvings of statues, gravestones, monuments and plaques ca ...

carved her headstone, which featured a palette and brushes.

Artistic career

Jameson was exhibited at three London galleries:

Goupil & Cie Goupil & Cie is an international auction house and merchant of contemporary art and collectibles. Jean-Baptiste Adophe Goupil founded Goupil & Cie in 1850. Goupil & Cie became a leading art dealership in 19th-century France, with its headquart ...

The Redfern Gallery The Redfern Gallery is an exhibition space in the West End of London specialising in contemporary British art. It was founded by Arthur Knyvett-Lee and Anthony Maxtone Graham in 1923 as an artists' cooperative on the top floor of Redfern H ...

, and the

Leicester Galleries Leicester Galleries was an art gallery located in London from 1902 to 1977 that held exhibitions of modern British, French and international artists' works. Its name was acquired in 1984 by Peter Nahum, who operates "Peter Nahum at the Leiceste ...

. These included solo shows in 1933 and 1937, when sixty of her paintings were shown. In Dublin, she exhibited with the

Society of Dublin Painters The Society of Dublin Painters or Dublin Painters Group was formed in Ireland in 1920 to promote Irish modern art. History The Society of Dublin Painters was founded in 1920 by Paul and Grace Henry, Mary Swanzy, Letitia Marion Hamilton, Jack B. Y ...

from 1938 to 1948. She was a prolific artist, and considered talented, receiving critical attention from 1943. Around this time she was shown at the

Irish Exhibition of Living Art The Irish Exhibition of Living Art (IELA) was a yearly exhibition of Irish abstract expressionism and avant-garde Irish art that was started in 1943 by Mainie Jellett. Background World War II Ireland During World War II, Ireland remained ...

from 1943 to 1953. Edward Sheehy, a critic who wrote for the Dublin Magazine, noted that she had "courage and distinction."

Eric Newton Eric Newton is an American journalist, Innovation Chief at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and a consultant for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, an organization created by one of ...

selected some of her work for the Living Art exhibition in 1951. She was featured in the 1953 Contemporary Irish Art Exhibition at

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...

, Wales. A retrospective of her work was shown at the Irish Exhibition of Living Art in 1954, with artworks loaned by her husband and friends. Her work was exhibited in a 1989 retrospective at the

Crawford Art Gallery The Crawford Art Gallery ( ga, Áiléar Crawford) is a public art gallery and museum in the city of Cork, Ireland. Known informally as the Crawford, it was designated a 'National Cultural Institution' in 2006. It is "dedicated to the visual arts ...

, and at the

Royal Hibernian Academy The Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) is an artist-based and artist-oriented institution in Ireland, founded in Dublin in 1823. Like many other Irish institutions, such as the RIA, the academy retained the word "Royal" after most of Ireland became in ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jameson, Joan 1892 births 1953 deaths Irish people of Scottish descent Painters from London 20th-century Irish painters Irish women painters 20th-century Irish women artists Artists from County Waterford People from Cappoquin 20th-century women painters