Elizabeth Emma Jones was born in London in 1813, and was instructed in French, Italian, and music. At a very early age she became a pupil of the Belgian painter François Simonau (1783–1859), who in 1820 married her mother, Mrs. Jones. Finding that Emma had talents for drawing, Simoneau devoted the whole of his time to her instruction, and before the age of twelve she "had drawn more than a hundred portraits from life with gret fidelity".[2] She also became a talented pianist under the tutelage of Jean Ancot.[3]
On 12 April 1837 she married Alexis Soyer, the first senior chef at the Reform Club. She then turned her attention to portraits in oil, and, with Simoneau, travelled in the provinces, working in Canterbury, Ramsgate and Shrewsbury and gained great popularity. Upon her return to London she produced "The Blind Boy", "The Crossing Sweeper", "The Bavarians", "Taglioni" and the "Kentish Ceres". In 1842 she completed her last work, "The Two Organ Boys". She also showed two paintings at the 1842 Paris Salon ("L'aveugle de la tour de Londres" and "Portrait de M. Soyer" - Nos. 1729–30). Her portrait of Soyer was engraved by Henry Bryan Hall.[4]
On 29–30 August 1842 she had complications with her pregnancy, owing to fright produced by a thunderstorm, and she died the same night at her residence near Charing Cross, London. She was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery, London on 8 September, where her husband erected a large monument to her memory.[5] In her obituary, The Gentleman's Magazine described her as "Cut off when her reputation was about to make her fortune, and when, in spite of all obstacles, her merits were become known to her countrymen".[3]
In June 1848 one hundred and forty of her works were exhibited at the Prince of Wales's bazaar, under the name of Soyer's Philanthropic Gallery, on behalf of the Spitalfields soup kitchen, and a catalogue was printed. Among these pictures was "The Young Savoyards Resting", a work which obtained for Madame Soyer the name of the "English Murillo". Two of her pieces, "The Jew Lemon Boys" and "The English Ceres", were engraved by Gérard. In Paris, where many of her pictures were exhibited, her reputation stood higher than in her native country.[6]
Legacyedit
In September 2018 Soyer's painting of two black girls, in a tropical landscape, possibly painted for the slavery abolitionist cause in Britain, was featured on the BBC One television programme Fake or Fortune?[7]
Her portrait of Alexis Soyer is still in the collection of the Reform club.[7]
Referencesedit
^Ruth Cowen (2010). Relish: The Extraordinary Life of Alexis Soyer, Victorian Celebrity Chef. Orion Publishing.
^ abBrian Stewart & Mervyn Cutten (1997). The Dictionary of Portrait Painters in Britain up to 1920. Antique Collectors' Club. ISBN1-85149-173-2.
^ ab"Obituary – Madame Soyer". The Gentleman's Magazine. Vol. 53. July 1842. pp. 666–8. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
^"NPG D6822; Alexis Benoît Soyer". Portrait. National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
^Paths of Glory. Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery. 1997. p. 94.
^Boase, George Clement (1898). "Soyer, Elizabeth Emma" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 53. London: Smith, Elder & Co. [Redgrave's Dictionary of Artists, 1878, p. 241; Volant and Warren's Memoirs of A. Soyer, 1858, pp. 10, 27, 36, 81, 128, 136, 166, 276; Grinsted's Last Homes of Departed Genius, 1867, p. 291; Dodd's Annual Biography, 1843, p. 447; Gent. Mag. 1842, ii. 441; Morning Post, 2 September 1842, p. 4.]
^ ab"BBC One – Fake or Fortune?, Series 7, A Double Whodunnit". BBC.
emma, soyer, elizabeth, née, jones, september, 1813, august, 1842, english, painter, known, emma, jones, emma, jones, soyerself, portrait, engraved, hallbornelizabeth, emma, jones, 1813, september, 1813, london, englanddied30, august, 1842, 1842, aged, london,. Elizabeth Emma Soyer nee Jones 5 September 1813 30 August 1842 was an English oil painter 2 known as Emma Jones or Emma Soyer Emma Jones SoyerSelf portrait engraved by H B HallBornElizabeth Emma Jones 1813 09 05 5 September 1813 1 London EnglandDied30 August 1842 1842 08 30 aged 28 London EnglandResting placeKensal Green Cemetery LondonNationalityBritishKnown forPortraitureNotable workTwo Black Children with a Book Watercress Woman Portrait of Alexis Soyer The Grandmother at Her Spinning Wheel Watercress WomanSpouseAlexis Soyer m 1837 Contents 1 Biography 2 Legacy 3 References 3 1 Further reading 4 External linksBiography edit nbsp Abolitionist painting attributed to Jones 1831Elizabeth Emma Jones was born in London in 1813 and was instructed in French Italian and music At a very early age she became a pupil of the Belgian painter Francois Simonau 1783 1859 who in 1820 married her mother Mrs Jones Finding that Emma had talents for drawing Simoneau devoted the whole of his time to her instruction and before the age of twelve she had drawn more than a hundred portraits from life with gret fidelity 2 She also became a talented pianist under the tutelage of Jean Ancot 3 On 12 April 1837 she married Alexis Soyer the first senior chef at the Reform Club She then turned her attention to portraits in oil and with Simoneau travelled in the provinces working in Canterbury Ramsgate and Shrewsbury and gained great popularity Upon her return to London she produced The Blind Boy The Crossing Sweeper The Bavarians Taglioni and the Kentish Ceres In 1842 she completed her last work The Two Organ Boys She also showed two paintings at the 1842 Paris Salon L aveugle de la tour de Londres and Portrait de M Soyer Nos 1729 30 Her portrait of Soyer was engraved by Henry Bryan Hall 4 On 29 30 August 1842 she had complications with her pregnancy owing to fright produced by a thunderstorm and she died the same night at her residence near Charing Cross London She was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery London on 8 September where her husband erected a large monument to her memory 5 In her obituary The Gentleman s Magazine described her as Cut off when her reputation was about to make her fortune and when in spite of all obstacles her merits were become known to her countrymen 3 Between 1823 and 1843 fourteen of her pictures were exhibited at the Royal Academy thirty eight at the British Institution and fourteen at the Suffolk Street Gallery Graves Dictionary of Artists pp 130 221 In June 1848 one hundred and forty of her works were exhibited at the Prince of Wales s bazaar under the name of Soyer s Philanthropic Gallery on behalf of the Spitalfields soup kitchen and a catalogue was printed Among these pictures was The Young Savoyards Resting a work which obtained for Madame Soyer the name of the English Murillo Two of her pieces The Jew Lemon Boys and The English Ceres were engraved by Gerard In Paris where many of her pictures were exhibited her reputation stood higher than in her native country 6 Legacy editIn September 2018 Soyer s painting of two black girls in a tropical landscape possibly painted for the slavery abolitionist cause in Britain was featured on the BBC One television programme Fake or Fortune 7 Her portrait of Alexis Soyer is still in the collection of the Reform club 7 References edit Ruth Cowen 2010 Relish The Extraordinary Life of Alexis Soyer Victorian Celebrity Chef Orion Publishing a b Brian Stewart amp Mervyn Cutten 1997 The Dictionary of Portrait Painters in Britain up to 1920 Antique Collectors Club ISBN 1 85149 173 2 a b Obituary Madame Soyer The Gentleman s Magazine Vol 53 July 1842 pp 666 8 Retrieved 3 September 2018 NPG D6822 Alexis Benoit Soyer Portrait National Portrait Gallery Retrieved 21 November 2010 Paths of Glory Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery 1997 p 94 Boase George Clement 1898 Soyer Elizabeth Emma In Lee Sidney ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 53 London Smith Elder amp Co Redgrave s Dictionary of Artists 1878 p 241 Volant and Warren s Memoirs of A Soyer 1858 pp 10 27 36 81 128 136 166 276 Grinsted s Last Homes of Departed Genius 1867 p 291 Dodd s Annual Biography 1843 p 447 Gent Mag 1842 ii 441 Morning Post 2 September 1842 p 4 a b BBC One Fake or Fortune Series 7 A Double Whodunnit BBC Further reading edit Soyer Elizabeth Emma Dictionary of National Biography London Smith Elder amp Co 1885 1900 External links edit nbsp Media related to Emma Soyer at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Emma Soyer amp oldid 1167504645, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
