Violet Manners, Duchess Of Rutland
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Marion Margaret Violet Manners, Duchess of Rutland (''née'' Lindsay; 7 March 1856 – 22 December 1937) was a British artist and noblewoman. A granddaughter of the 24th Earl of Crawford, she married Henry Manners in 1882. She was styled the Marchioness of Granby from 1888 to 1906, when Manners succeeded as Duke of Rutland. She had five children, including the 9th Duke of Rutland and the socialite
Lady Diana Cooper Diana, Viscountess Norwich (née Lady Diana Olivia Winifred Maud Manners; 29 August 1892 – 16 June 1986) was an English actress and aristocrat who was a well-known social figure in London and Paris. As a young woman, she moved in a celebrat ...
. Though she had no formal training as an artist, the Duchess painted portraits of her social circle. Many of her works were displayed at various major art exhibits in the UK, including the
Grosvenor Gallery The Grosvenor Gallery was an art gallery in London founded in 1877 by Sir Coutts Lindsay and his wife Blanche. Its first directors were J. Comyns Carr and Charles Hallé. The gallery proved crucial to the Aesthetic Movement because it prov ...
, the
Royal Academy of Arts The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purpo ...
, and the New Gallery. Violet was also a prominent member of
The Souls The Souls was a small loosely-knit but distinctive elite social and intellectual group in the United Kingdom from 1885 to the turn of the century. Many of the most distinguished British politicians and intellectuals of the time were members. Th ...
, an aristocratic social circle that favoured intellectual pursuits and avant-garde artistic tastes. Known for her beauty, she was the subject of many paintings. Watts Gallery Trust acquired a beautiful Watts portrait of her in Dec 2016 (Art Fund, the ACE/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, and donors). Inspired by the acquisition, John Julius Norwich (a prominent historian and Violet's grandson) donated over 40 of Violet's own drawings, including a self-portrait and a portrait of
Harry Cust Henry John Cockayne-Cust, Justice of the Peace, JP, Deputy Lieutenant, DL (10 October 1861 – 2 March 1917) was an England, English politician and editor in chief, editor who served as a Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parl ...
. She became engaged in sculpting after the death of her elder son Robert in 1894.


Family and early life

Marion Margaret Violet Lindsay was born on 7 March 1856 to an aristocratic family, being the youngest of three children and the only daughter of the Hon.
Charles Hugh Lindsay The Hon. Charles Hugh Lindsay (11 November 1816 – 25 March 1889) was a British soldier, courtier and Conservative politician. Background Lindsay was born at Muncaster Castle, the third son of James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford, and the H ...
and his wife Emilia Anne Browne. Her father was a younger son of
James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford and 7th Earl of Balcarres (24 April 1783 – 15 December 1869) was an Earl in the Peerage of Scotland. Biography James Lindsay was born on 24 April 1783 at Balcarres House in Fife, the son of Alexander ...
, whilst her mother was a daughter of
Montague Browne The Hon Montague Browne (Henry Montague Browne; 3 October 1799–24 November 1884) was Dean of Lismore from 1850 until 1884. He was the second son of James Browne, 2nd Baron Kilmaine. He began his ecclesiastical career with a curacy at Christ C ...
, the
dean of Lismore The Dean of Lismore is based at The Cathedral Church of St Carthage, Lismore in the united Diocese of Cashel and Ossory within the Church of Ireland. The current incumbent is Paul Draper. List of deans of Lismore *?–1549 James Butler *156 ...
.


Marriage and death

At the age of 26, she married Henry Manners on 25 November 1882. He was the only son and heir of
John Manners, 7th Duke of Rutland John James Robert Manners, 7th Duke of Rutland, (13 December 18184 August 1906), known as Lord John Manners before 1888, was an English statesman. Youth and poetry Rutland was born at Belvoir Castle, the younger son of John Manners, 5th Duk ...
. Husband and wife had little in common; the handsome Henry was a political
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
whilst Violet was described as "
bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Beer * National Bohemian, a brand brewed by Pabst * Bohemian, a brand of beer brewed by Molson Coors Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, origin ...
". She provided him with two male heirs, but her second and third daughters were possibly fathered by others: Lady Violet by
Montagu Corry, 1st Baron Rowton Montagu William Lowry-Corry, 1st Baron Rowton, (8 October 1838 – 9 November 1903), also known as "Monty", was a British philanthropist and public servant, best known for serving as Benjamin Disraeli's private secretary from 1866 until the lat ...
and Lady Diana by
Harry Cust Henry John Cockayne-Cust, Justice of the Peace, JP, Deputy Lieutenant, DL (10 October 1861 – 2 March 1917) was an England, English politician and editor in chief, editor who served as a Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parl ...
. The couple also moved in different social circles, as he enjoyed hunting and she pursued more intellectual interests. Henry became the Marquess of Granby in 1888. In 1906 he succeeded his father as the 8th Duke of Rutland; Lady Granby became the Duchess of Rutland. During
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the Duchess converted her London house at 16 Arlington Street into a hospital. Her daughter Diana, a prominent socialite, served as a nurse at the house. Violet's son-in-law, Hugo Charteris, Lord Elcho, died during the war, though her only surviving son was spared from fighting at the front. The Duke of Rutland died in 1925, and was succeeded in the dukedom by their second and only surviving son,
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...
. The Duchess of Rutland died on 22 December 1937 and was buried at
Belvoir Castle Belvoir Castle ( ) is a faux historic castle and stately home in Leicestershire, England, situated west of the town of Grantham and northeast of Melton Mowbray. The Castle was first built immediately after the Norman Conquest of 1066 an ...
, Leicestershire.


Career as artist

Violet was privately educated as a young girl, and her family encouraged her interest in art. While she had no formal training as an artist, she did spend a significant period of time on a visit to Italy. In 1877, she exhibited some of her drawings and sculptures at the
Grosvenor Gallery The Grosvenor Gallery was an art gallery in London founded in 1877 by Sir Coutts Lindsay and his wife Blanche. Its first directors were J. Comyns Carr and Charles Hallé. The gallery proved crucial to the Aesthetic Movement because it prov ...
, which was opened by her cousin
Coutts Lindsay Sir Coutts Lindsay, 2nd Baronet (2 February 1824 – 7 May 1913 Kingston upon Thames), was a British artist and watercolourist. Life Lindsay was the eldest son of Lieutenant-General Sir James Lindsay, son of the Hon. Robert Lindsay, secon ...
. She considered herself to be a professional, but her rank and gender limited her; many considered her to be merely a
dilettante Dilettante or dilettantes may refer to: * An amateur, someone with a non-professional interest * A layperson, the opposite of an expert * ''Dilettante'' (album), a 2005 album by Ali Project * ''Dilettantes'' (album), a 2008 album by You Am I * D ...
. Her most successful works centred on depicting members of her social circle. During her lifetime, Violet's works were on display at the main British art galleries such as the
Royal Academy of Arts The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purpo ...
and the New Gallery, and also abroad in the US and France. She exhibited her work at the
Palace of Fine Arts The Palace of Fine Arts is a monumental structure located in the Marina District of San Francisco, California, originally constructed for the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition to exhibit works of art. Completely rebuilt from 1964 to ...
at the 1893
World's Columbian Exposition The World's Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) was a world's fair held in Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordi ...
in Chicago, Illinois. In 1925, one commentary opined that Violet's style "is particularly suited to the interpretation of feminine beauty and elegance, but she usually achieves considerable success in her delineations of men." Violet was a friend of the Scottish sculptor
William Reid Dick Sir William Reid Dick, (13 January 1878 – 1 October 1961) was a Scottish sculptor known for his innovative stylisation of form in his monument sculptures and simplicity in his portraits. He became an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1921, a ...
, and helped him secure many aristocratic commissions. After her eldest son's 1894 death at the age of nine, the grieving Violet began sculpting; one of her works was displayed on the boy's tomb in
Belvoir Castle Belvoir Castle ( ) is a faux historic castle and stately home in Leicestershire, England, situated west of the town of Grantham and northeast of Melton Mowbray. The Castle was first built immediately after the Norman Conquest of 1066 an ...
. She considered another statue's base, which displayed her son and other members of her family, to be her greatest work. She kept it in her London house until 1937, when the
Tate Gallery Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the U ...
acquired it. In 1900, she published ''Portraits of Men and Women'', a selection of portraits that depicted members of her social circle. Violet was a prominent member of
The Souls The Souls was a small loosely-knit but distinctive elite social and intellectual group in the United Kingdom from 1885 to the turn of the century. Many of the most distinguished British politicians and intellectuals of the time were members. Th ...
, an aristocratic social circle that favoured intellectual pursuits and avant-garde artistic tastes. Formed in the 1880s, other members included
Arthur Balfour Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, (, ; 25 July 184819 March 1930), also known as Lord Balfour, was a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905. As F ...
and
George Wyndham George Wyndham, PC (29 August 1863 – 8 June 1913) was a British Conservative politician, statesman, man of letters, and one of The Souls. Background and education Wyndham was the elder son of the Honourable Percy Wyndham, third son of Ge ...
. The contemporary women's magazine '' The Lady's Realm'' said that Violet was "the acknowledged 'queen' of the society," who, as one of its original members, possessed "beauty, nunusual ability in all artistic abilities, and grasp of social and economic questions
hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
marked her out from the beginning as a leader." Violet was a noted beauty, as was her daughter Lady Diana. The Duchess was painted on numerous occasions by
James Jebusa Shannon Sir James Jebusa Shannon (3 February 1862 – 6 March 1923) was an Anglo-American artist. Life Shannon was born in Auburn, New York, and at the age of eight was taken by his parents to Canada. When he was sixteen, he went to England, where he ...
and
George Frederic Watts George Frederic Watts (23 February 1817, in London – 1 July 1904) was a British painter and sculptor associated with the Symbolist movement. He said "I paint ideas, not things." Watts became famous in his lifetime for his allegorical work ...
. The historian K. D. Reynolds writes that her beauty "was of the type most admired by the Souls. Her auburn hair, pale complexion, hooded eyes, and very slim figure were invariably set off by her Aesthetic-style clothes of faded colours and soft drapings." She kept a studio at the Rutland estate of
Bute House Bute House (Gaelic: ''Taigh Bhòid'') is the official residence of the First Minister of Scotland located within Charlotte Square in Edinburgh. Alongside two other personal offices at the Scottish Parliament Building and St. Andrew's House, ...
. After her husband's death, Violet moved to
Belgrave Square Belgrave Square is a large 19th-century garden square in London. It is the centrepiece of Belgravia, and its architecture resembles the original scheme of property contractor Thomas Cubitt who engaged George Basevi for all of the terraces for t ...
, London and built a new studio to work on her art. She continued exhibiting her works up to her death; her last exhibit was in November 1937, and she died the following month after an operation.


Issue

The Duchess of Rutland had five children: * Lady Victoria Marjorie Harriet Manners (1883–1946), married
Charles Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Henry Alexander Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey, (14 April 1885 – 21 February 1947) was a British peer, farmer and soldier. Biography Paget was born in 1885 to Lord Alexander Paget, third son of Henry Paget, 2nd Ma ...
and had issue. *Robert Charles John Manners, Lord Haddon (1885–1894), died young. * John Henry Montagu Manners, 9th Duke of Rutland (1886–1940), married Kathleen Tennant and had issue. * Lady Violet Catherine Manners (1888–1971), she married firstly, Hugo Charteris, Lord Elcho, son of
Hugo Charteris, 11th Earl of Wemyss Hugo Richard Charteris, 11th Earl of Wemyss and 7th Earl of March DL (25 August 1857 – 12 July 1937), styled Lord Elcho from 1883 to 1914, was a British Conservative politician. Early life He was the fifth but eldest surviving son of The 1 ...
and had issue. She married secondly, Guy Benson. * Lady Diana Olivia Winifred Maud Manners (1892–1986). She married
Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich Alfred Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich, (22 February 1890 – 1 January 1954), known as Duff Cooper, was a British Conservative Party politician and diplomat who was also a military and political historian. First elected to Parliament in 19 ...
and had issue.


Notes


References

;Works cited * * * * * * * *


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rutland, Violet Manners, Duchess of 1856 births 1937 deaths
Violet Violet may refer to: Common meanings * Violet (color), a spectral color with wavelengths shorter than blue * One of a list of plants known as violet, particularly: ** ''Viola'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants Places United States * Viol ...
English women painters English duchesses by marriage 19th-century English painters 20th-century English painters 19th-century British women artists 20th-century British women artists V 20th-century English women 19th-century English women Wives of knights