Violet Mary Holden (1873 — ?) was an English artist and book illustrator.[1][2] Throughout her career, most of her illustrations were done in collaboration with her sister Evelyn. She additionally worked in stained glass design and metalwork, and specialized in illuminated lettering.[3]
Biography edit
Violet Mary Holden was born in 1873 to Emma Wearing Holden and Arthur Holden, an industrialist. Three of her sisters were Edith Holden (1871-1920), Effie M Holden (b. 1867), and Evelyn Holden (1877-c. 1969).[1] In 1890, she and her sister Evelyn began to attend the Birmingham Art School, joining their sister Edith who already studied there. Their family then moved to a house named Gowan Bank, which was closer to the railway that went to Birmingham.[4] In 1893, she was awarded a local scholarship for the Birmingham School of Art, based on her success in "personal examinations" that were held in the United Kingdom.[2]
Holden illustrated various publications. She was one of 18 contributors to Quest, an illustrated magazine published by the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft from 1894 to 1896.[5] She contributed to the Book of Pictured Carols, created by the Birmingham School of Art.[3] She illustrated the 1894 book The Real Princess with her sister, Eveyln. The book was a "fairy story" written by Blanche Atkinson. She and Eveyln also illustrated the 1895 book The House that Jack Built & Other Nursery Rhymes, which was edited by Grace Rhys.[3]
In 1904, Holden began to teach at Birmingham Art School, where she previously attended.[1]
One of her pieces—a late-1890s silver and enamel casket, designed by Holden and Florence Camm—is part of the permanent collection at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. The casket was made for John Thackray Bunce.[6]
References edit
- ^ a b c Dictionary of Women Worldwide: 25,000 Women Through the Ages. Vol. 1. Gale eBooks. 2006. p. 887. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Birmingham Municipal School of Art". Birmingham Daily Post. 18 August 1893. p. 4. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
- ^ a b c Tenny, Dana (1993). "A Quick Wit and a Light Hand": Design Movements & Children's Books 1880-1910. Toronto Public Library. ISBN 978-0-920601-23-5. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
- ^ "Holden, Edith B. (1871–1920)". Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Retrieved 26 July 2021 – via Encyclopedia.com.
- ^ Marsh, Jan (1989). Women artists and the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Virago. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-86068-065-9. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
- ^ Hoban, Sally (27 March 2009). "The art and craft of stained glass; Sally Hoban sheds light on the revered Midland designer Florence Camm". Birmingham Post. p. 12. Retrieved 26 July 2021 – via Gale OneFile: News.