What an interesting artist. Those painting are wonderful - obscure in a way and rather eerie. Also interesting that you mentioned the Rumer Godden. I found it in a second-hand bookshop a while ago and it is in my reading pile. I am looking forward to reading it even more now.
I am so pleased you liked her paintings, they are very strangely eerie. What a happy discovery to find the Rumer Godden! I was so surprised by it and can't understand why it is the least known of her works. Do let me know what you think!
I found this fascinating Deborah and once again you have introduced me to someone new. I have never encountered her work before but it's lovely, especially the first picture
I’ve found some of ET’s letters to Elinor. Have you seen them? Sorry, don’t want to clog up your thread with ET but you set me off on a trail this morning!
Elizabeth Taylor - A Centenary Celebration edited by NH Reeve and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 9781443- 836562
Back in 2012 I was invited to speak at an ET day organised by her family and I think NH Reeve was there (need to go back and check notes). I bought the book as soon as it was published and he has included various letters.
It was a magical day celebrating Elizabeth Taylor’s life and the star of the show was undoubtedly Elizabeth Jane Howard, who was by this time quite infirm and arrived very late. Philip Hensher had to ad lib for a long time!
I have been hunting the book, but no joy, only a copy at a vast price. But I found a PDF of the first 30 pages which is tantalising! I shall just have to keep looking. Elizabeth Jane Howard lived at Bungay, a short trip from here, and I must go to find her house the next time I visit. I love her work too and think her early novels especially undervalued. What a treat the day sounds and I wish I had known about it. I saw too that Stevie Davies was a contributor, another favourite.
Beautiful writing Deborah, and thank you I’ve learned a lot!
I’m wondering if Elinor gets a mention in the book…name escapes me…about the wartime artists who emerged from the Slade. I’ll check and come back with the title.
Love the reference to Elizabeth Taylor who was notoriously lacking in confidence about her writing. It’s almost what they’d term ‘imposter syndrome’ these days.
That was my thought too - " A Crisis of Brilliance?" But no reference at all.
I was so pleased to discover her connection to Elizabeth Taylor, whose writing I love, and I loved how she gave Elinor refuge. Thank you very much for reading it.
That’s the one! A superb book that opened up so many trails of discovery for me.
I found this in one of Elizabeth Taylor’s letters to Elizabeth Bowen which also confirms how cruel the critics could be. Little wonder their confidence was so fragile…
‘It comforts me that you worry, too. I shall remember this in the middle of the night when I feel at my most uncertain, even bogus; not a proper writer at all.
My hands become ice at the thought of my book being published, and I do hope that, like silicosis, it is an occupational disease; though not such a distressing one.
I think newspapers say very odd things. I thought Robert the best of them all. It is worse than writing for people who speak a different language. I once had a reviewer say: "This is a poor imitation of 'Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm' and has less than ½ the charm." I do not know whether to laugh or cry, so do both to be on the safe side.’
Sorry, I saw this second! “ My hands become ice” - I recognise that completely and how fascinating that someone of such brilliance felt “not a proper writer at all”. Such thoughts are so debilitating and so persistent. I know exactly what it is like to get the bit between your teeth and go searching!
The Great Gale was such a a happy discovery and I have Time of Trial too, which looks a treat. The Rumer Godden is extraordinary. If you read it, do let me know what you think!
Gosh, what a stunning piece of writing, Deborah. You bring Elinor to life so well, and get to the heart of her painting. Honestly you so much want to say to her younger self, as to the younger Plath: 'Don't get married!' It makes me so cross that their own husbands neglected them and/or treated them as rivals. But what Elinor achieved is just extraordinary!
Thank you so much, Anne, and for sharing it too. I have loved her work for so long and to discover her life was so contrary to these dreamlike images was so unexpected. There are so many for whom this was the case, and fear things haven't changed greatly, which is perhaps why I want to shout about them!
So good to discover her work via your introduction, Deborah. Love the fact that she found such a great connection with the writer Elizabeth Taylor too.
I had never heard of Elinor, her work is beautiful. That portrait was a shock to me when I came to it, too! Thank you for this compassionate look at Elinor and her beautiful art!
I love the paintings with their strong sense of weather and slight feeling of mystery. I thought I had read everything by Rumer Godden but apparently not, so I have a treat in store! I have a copy of The Great Gale by Hester Burton from my childhood - a story I loved and remember well. It might be time to reread it - thank you!
I so enjoyed The Great Gale and also have a copy of Time of Trial, which I bought for the illustrations of Victor Ambrus, to look forward to. The Rumer Godden will stay with me, it is such a wonderful book and I don't understand why it is not better known. Do let me know what you think!
I am now reading A Fugue in Time and enjoying it very much. Have you read China Court by Rumer Godden? Also about a house but set in Cornwall not far from where I live.
I also have a copy of Time of Trial from my childhood with illustrations by Victor Ambrus. He was always one of my favourite illustrators and as a child I was invited to an event at our local library to meet him and also Pauline Baynes, Charles Keeping and one other. At the time I thought I might be an illustrator one day and I admired their work very much. I never was but my son, Jago Silver is an illustrator now!
Thanks for this, Deborah. I had never heard of Elinor Bellingham, so it was a really fascinating read. And especially the contrast between her subdued palette and reputation as a ‘hard drinking frequenter of the Chelsea Arts Club’. There’s something stark (and, at times, slightly brutal) about her wintery landscapes though, so maybe they make sense in a way.
Yes, you are right. As her work developed it became starker and more pared down. I was very surprised to learn of her life and think the portrait such a revealing image. He certainly didn't spare her. Apparently it was bought by a private buyer in Scotland and she was quite relieved never to be reminded of it.
I really enjoyed this post, and having never come across this artist before, I was drawn to her paintings - both the colours and the people who populate them (and which do seem to be rather ghostly with an eerie quality to them that is fascinating). Thank you for sharing xxx
Thank you, I am so pleased you liked her work. It is very distinctive. I love her later landscape works, they are so spare. Thank you for reading it xx
Thanks so much for sharing this - I was very impressed by Elinor’s paintings (which I hadn’t seen before) and shocked by Lucian Freud’s portrait, like you! Also many thanks for the book recommendations, have just ordered “A fugue in time” and am now looking forward to its arrival!
I am glad you liked her work too, it is so distinctive and she has such a beautiful sense of colour. Do let me know what you think of "A Fugue in Time"! Thank you very much, as always.
Always nice to discover a 'new' artist. As we did recently via 'Fake or Fortune', which introduced us to Helen Mc Nicoll.
Thank you. I didn't know of Helen McNicoll either and it was a fascinating watch.
What an interesting artist. Those painting are wonderful - obscure in a way and rather eerie. Also interesting that you mentioned the Rumer Godden. I found it in a second-hand bookshop a while ago and it is in my reading pile. I am looking forward to reading it even more now.
I am so pleased you liked her paintings, they are very strangely eerie. What a happy discovery to find the Rumer Godden! I was so surprised by it and can't understand why it is the least known of her works. Do let me know what you think!
I found this fascinating Deborah and once again you have introduced me to someone new. I have never encountered her work before but it's lovely, especially the first picture
I am so pleased you like her work. "The Island" is particularly lovely, I think, and was chosen by Grayson Perry for an Arts Council exhibition.
I’ve found some of ET’s letters to Elinor. Have you seen them? Sorry, don’t want to clog up your thread with ET but you set me off on a trail this morning!
No, I haven’t! How exciting and thank you very much. Where can I find them?
Elizabeth Taylor - A Centenary Celebration edited by NH Reeve and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 9781443- 836562
Back in 2012 I was invited to speak at an ET day organised by her family and I think NH Reeve was there (need to go back and check notes). I bought the book as soon as it was published and he has included various letters.
It was a magical day celebrating Elizabeth Taylor’s life and the star of the show was undoubtedly Elizabeth Jane Howard, who was by this time quite infirm and arrived very late. Philip Hensher had to ad lib for a long time!
Let me know if you can’t find the book…
PS I have just found it on the publisher's website - thank you!
I have been hunting the book, but no joy, only a copy at a vast price. But I found a PDF of the first 30 pages which is tantalising! I shall just have to keep looking. Elizabeth Jane Howard lived at Bungay, a short trip from here, and I must go to find her house the next time I visit. I love her work too and think her early novels especially undervalued. What a treat the day sounds and I wish I had known about it. I saw too that Stevie Davies was a contributor, another favourite.
Beautiful writing Deborah, and thank you I’ve learned a lot!
I’m wondering if Elinor gets a mention in the book…name escapes me…about the wartime artists who emerged from the Slade. I’ll check and come back with the title.
Love the reference to Elizabeth Taylor who was notoriously lacking in confidence about her writing. It’s almost what they’d term ‘imposter syndrome’ these days.
That was my thought too - " A Crisis of Brilliance?" But no reference at all.
I was so pleased to discover her connection to Elizabeth Taylor, whose writing I love, and I loved how she gave Elinor refuge. Thank you very much for reading it.
That’s the one! A superb book that opened up so many trails of discovery for me.
I found this in one of Elizabeth Taylor’s letters to Elizabeth Bowen which also confirms how cruel the critics could be. Little wonder their confidence was so fragile…
‘It comforts me that you worry, too. I shall remember this in the middle of the night when I feel at my most uncertain, even bogus; not a proper writer at all.
My hands become ice at the thought of my book being published, and I do hope that, like silicosis, it is an occupational disease; though not such a distressing one.
I think newspapers say very odd things. I thought Robert the best of them all. It is worse than writing for people who speak a different language. I once had a reviewer say: "This is a poor imitation of 'Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm' and has less than ½ the charm." I do not know whether to laugh or cry, so do both to be on the safe side.’
Sorry, I saw this second! “ My hands become ice” - I recognise that completely and how fascinating that someone of such brilliance felt “not a proper writer at all”. Such thoughts are so debilitating and so persistent. I know exactly what it is like to get the bit between your teeth and go searching!
How nice to discover an artist AND a Rumer Godden I hadn’t read in one post! I had The Great Gale growing up, and loved it.
The Great Gale was such a a happy discovery and I have Time of Trial too, which looks a treat. The Rumer Godden is extraordinary. If you read it, do let me know what you think!
Gosh, what a stunning piece of writing, Deborah. You bring Elinor to life so well, and get to the heart of her painting. Honestly you so much want to say to her younger self, as to the younger Plath: 'Don't get married!' It makes me so cross that their own husbands neglected them and/or treated them as rivals. But what Elinor achieved is just extraordinary!
Thank you so much, Anne, and for sharing it too. I have loved her work for so long and to discover her life was so contrary to these dreamlike images was so unexpected. There are so many for whom this was the case, and fear things haven't changed greatly, which is perhaps why I want to shout about them!
So good to discover her work via your introduction, Deborah. Love the fact that she found such a great connection with the writer Elizabeth Taylor too.
I had never heard of Elinor, her work is beautiful. That portrait was a shock to me when I came to it, too! Thank you for this compassionate look at Elinor and her beautiful art!
Her work is haunting, isn't it? It is so beautiful and it was such a surprise to discover her life was so contrary to her gentle images.
That is surprising. Perhaps it was the only peace she could find for herself. Thank you again for such a beautiful post.
I love the paintings with their strong sense of weather and slight feeling of mystery. I thought I had read everything by Rumer Godden but apparently not, so I have a treat in store! I have a copy of The Great Gale by Hester Burton from my childhood - a story I loved and remember well. It might be time to reread it - thank you!
I so enjoyed The Great Gale and also have a copy of Time of Trial, which I bought for the illustrations of Victor Ambrus, to look forward to. The Rumer Godden will stay with me, it is such a wonderful book and I don't understand why it is not better known. Do let me know what you think!
I am now reading A Fugue in Time and enjoying it very much. Have you read China Court by Rumer Godden? Also about a house but set in Cornwall not far from where I live.
I do have it but haven't read it yet! I had no idea it was set in Corneal and it sounds the perfect one to read next. Thank you x
I also have a copy of Time of Trial from my childhood with illustrations by Victor Ambrus. He was always one of my favourite illustrators and as a child I was invited to an event at our local library to meet him and also Pauline Baynes, Charles Keeping and one other. At the time I thought I might be an illustrator one day and I admired their work very much. I never was but my son, Jago Silver is an illustrator now!
Beautiful work. Deeply connected to existence and the power of simply noticing.
Thank you very much. That is exactly what her work is to me.
I love these!
Thank you for much, Anne!
Thanks for this, Deborah. I had never heard of Elinor Bellingham, so it was a really fascinating read. And especially the contrast between her subdued palette and reputation as a ‘hard drinking frequenter of the Chelsea Arts Club’. There’s something stark (and, at times, slightly brutal) about her wintery landscapes though, so maybe they make sense in a way.
Yes, you are right. As her work developed it became starker and more pared down. I was very surprised to learn of her life and think the portrait such a revealing image. He certainly didn't spare her. Apparently it was bought by a private buyer in Scotland and she was quite relieved never to be reminded of it.
Another fascinating read, thank you!
Thank you very much!
I really enjoyed this post, and having never come across this artist before, I was drawn to her paintings - both the colours and the people who populate them (and which do seem to be rather ghostly with an eerie quality to them that is fascinating). Thank you for sharing xxx
Thank you, I am so pleased you liked her work. It is very distinctive. I love her later landscape works, they are so spare. Thank you for reading it xx
I always enjoy your posts Deborah, they’re interesting and inspiring, and I usually learn something new or discover a new artist - thank you 😍
I had not heard of Elinor before. I enjoyed reading about her. The portrait of her is so sad.
Isn't it? It is so exposing. Thank you very much, Gill.
Thanks so much for sharing this - I was very impressed by Elinor’s paintings (which I hadn’t seen before) and shocked by Lucian Freud’s portrait, like you! Also many thanks for the book recommendations, have just ordered “A fugue in time” and am now looking forward to its arrival!
I am glad you liked her work too, it is so distinctive and she has such a beautiful sense of colour. Do let me know what you think of "A Fugue in Time"! Thank you very much, as always.