Eleanor Vere Boyle
Encyclopedia
Eleanor Vere Gordon Boyle (1 May 1825 – 29 July 1916) was an English artist and author of the Victorian era
. She has been considered the most important female illustrator of the 1860s.
She was born in Scotland, the youngest daughter of Alexander Gordon of Ellon Castle, Aberdeenshire
. In 1845 she married Richard Cavendish Boyle (1812–86), a younger son of the 8th Earl of Cork
; R. C. Boyle served as the rector of Marston Bigot
in Somerset
(1836–75) and later as Queen Victoria's
chaplain. Because of her social position, she rarely exhibited or sold her artwork — actions that would have been déclassé in the standards of her time and place. She did allow a rare exhibition of her art at Leighton House c. 1902. Consistently, in both her visual art and her books, she employed her initials, E. V. B., to mask her identity.
Boyle applied her skill as a watercolorist to illustrate children's books. In 1852, a small volume titled Child's Play matched Boyle pictures with traditional nursery rhymes like "Little Boy Blue
." She illustrated a wide range of similar books, including Tennyson's
The May Queen (1860) — she was a friend of the poet — and the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast
(1875) — she depicted the Beast as a sabre-toothed panther. In 1868 she illustrated Sarah Austen's translation of Friedrich Wilhelm Carové
's The Story Without an End; and in 1872 she became one of the first British artists to illustrate the stories of Hans Christian Andersen
, and set a new standard of quality for Andersen illustration.
Boyle was familiar with many of the Pre-Raphaelites
; Dante Gabriel Rossetti
called her "great in design." She was a cousin of Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford, another woman artist of her era.
In 1893 Boyle published A Book of the Heavenly Birthdays, a small aid to meditation that combined her watercolors with poetry by William Morris
, Christina Rossetti
, Percy Bysshe Shelley
, Walter Savage Landor
and others. The book provides an example of "the eschatological
thrust of much of her work...."
Boyle was interested in garden design; she re-created the Evelyn garden at Huntercombe Manor in Burnham, Buckinghamshire
from 1872 on. She wrote books on gardening, like her Days and Hours in a Garden (1884), A Garden of Pleasure (1895), and Seven Gardens and a Palace (1900). Her The Peacock's Pleasaunce (1908) is a collection of belle-lettrist
essays.
Three of her children, two sons and a daughter, pre-deceased her. She was survived by a son and daughter.
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. She has been considered the most important female illustrator of the 1860s.
She was born in Scotland, the youngest daughter of Alexander Gordon of Ellon Castle, Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
. In 1845 she married Richard Cavendish Boyle (1812–86), a younger son of the 8th Earl of Cork
Earl of Cork
Earl of the County of Cork, usually shortened to Earl of Cork, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1620 for the Anglo-Irish politician Richard Boyle, 1st Baron Boyle...
; R. C. Boyle served as the rector of Marston Bigot
Marston Bigot
Marston Bigot is a small village near Nunney and south of Frome in Somerset, England.-History:Marston Bigot was listed as "Mersitone-tora" in the Doomesday Book, which gave the name of the then Saxon landowner as Robert Arundel. It became known as Marston Bigot some time after it was given by...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
(1836–75) and later as Queen Victoria's
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
chaplain. Because of her social position, she rarely exhibited or sold her artwork — actions that would have been déclassé in the standards of her time and place. She did allow a rare exhibition of her art at Leighton House c. 1902. Consistently, in both her visual art and her books, she employed her initials, E. V. B., to mask her identity.
Boyle applied her skill as a watercolorist to illustrate children's books. In 1852, a small volume titled Child's Play matched Boyle pictures with traditional nursery rhymes like "Little Boy Blue
Little Boy Blue
"Little Boy Blue" is a popular English language nursery rhyme, often used in popular culture. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 11318.-Lyrics:The most common version of the rhyme is:...
." She illustrated a wide range of similar books, including Tennyson's
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular poets in the English language....
The May Queen (1860) — she was a friend of the poet — and the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast is a traditional fairy tale. The first published version of the fairy tale was a rendition by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, published in La jeune américaine, et les contes marins in 1740...
(1875) — she depicted the Beast as a sabre-toothed panther. In 1868 she illustrated Sarah Austen's translation of Friedrich Wilhelm Carové
Friedrich Wilhelm Carové
Friedrich Wilhelm Carové was a German philosopher and publicist.-Biography:...
's The Story Without an End; and in 1872 she became one of the first British artists to illustrate the stories of Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
, and set a new standard of quality for Andersen illustration.
Boyle was familiar with many of the Pre-Raphaelites
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was a group of English painters, poets, and critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti...
; Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Dante Gabriel Rossetti was an English poet, illustrator, painter and translator. He founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848 with William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais, and was later to be the main inspiration for a second generation of artists and writers influenced by the movement,...
called her "great in design." She was a cousin of Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford, another woman artist of her era.
In 1893 Boyle published A Book of the Heavenly Birthdays, a small aid to meditation that combined her watercolors with poetry by William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
, Christina Rossetti
Christina Rossetti
Christina Georgina Rossetti was an English poet who wrote a variety of romantic, devotional, and children's poems...
, Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the major English Romantic poets and is critically regarded as among the finest lyric poets in the English language. Shelley was famous for his association with John Keats and Lord Byron...
, Walter Savage Landor
Walter Savage Landor
Walter Savage Landor was an English writer and poet. His best known works were the prose Imaginary Conversations, and the poem Rose Aylmer, but the critical acclaim he received from contemporary poets and reviewers was not matched by public popularity...
and others. The book provides an example of "the eschatological
Eschatology
Eschatology is a part of theology, philosophy, and futurology concerned with what are believed to be the final events in history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity, commonly referred to as the end of the world or the World to Come...
thrust of much of her work...."
Boyle was interested in garden design; she re-created the Evelyn garden at Huntercombe Manor in Burnham, Buckinghamshire
Burnham, Buckinghamshire
Burnham is a village and civil parish that lies north of the River Thames in the South Bucks District of Buckinghamshire, and sits on the border with Berkshire, between the towns of Maidenhead and Slough. It is served by Burnham railway station in the west of Slough on the main line between London...
from 1872 on. She wrote books on gardening, like her Days and Hours in a Garden (1884), A Garden of Pleasure (1895), and Seven Gardens and a Palace (1900). Her The Peacock's Pleasaunce (1908) is a collection of belle-lettrist
Belles-lettres
Belles-lettres or belles lettres is a term that is used to describe a category of writing. A writer of belles-lettres is a belletrist. However, the boundaries of that category vary in different usages....
essays.
Three of her children, two sons and a daughter, pre-deceased her. She was survived by a son and daughter.
Other works by E. V. B.
- A Child's Summer (1853)
- In the Fir-Wood (1866)
- A New Child's Play (1877)
- A London Sparrow at the Colinderies (1887)
- A Midsummer-Night Dream (1887)
- Ros Rosarum ex Horto Poetarum: Dew of the Ever-Living Rose (1889)
- Sylvana's Letters to an Unknown Friend (1900)