Tom Duffy looks at the work of Rose Barton, who transformed the ordinary by incorporating ‘the picturesque’ into her Dublin and London streetscapes
Widely recognised for her watercolours in Ireland and Britain, Rose Barton was a leading female artist of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, holding this position along with Mildred Anne Butler (1858–1941), Fanny Currey (1848–1917) and Helen O’Hara (1846–1920). Barton was a professional artist and highly acclaimed by critics. The Ladies’ Home journal remarked that the Emerald Isle could rightfully claim Barton, thanks to her birth and education. However, England could equally consider her their own, given that she devoted her time to the depiction of London, its streets, river, squares, parks and churches. By the end of the last century Barton was all but forgotten. Thankfully, this is no longer the case, as Barton’s work is now appreciated and her position as a significant artist is recognised.
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