HELEN ALLINGHAM, R.W.S.

(1848-1926)

A Garden in October, Aldworth

1891

watercolour on paper

33 x 44.5 cm

inscribed: H.Allingham

P.338

The garden at Aldworth near Haslemere in Surrey was that of the Allinghams’ friend Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-92). This watercolour was painted while it was raining in the kitchen garden, a favourite view of Tennyson’s. After watching her paint, Tennyson remarked ‘I should like to do that. It does not look very difficult’.

Helen Paterson married the Irish poet William Allingham (1824-89) in 1874 and at once joined the literary circle of Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881), RUSKIN, ROSSETTI and Tennyson. Her watercolours were strongly influenced by those of Birket FOSTER and Fred WALKER. She was among the first women to be admitted to full membership of the R.W.S. in 1890 and her diploma drawing, Feeding the Fowls, Pinner (repr. Hardie, vol.III, pl.134) is entirely characteristic of her customary subject matter. She is reputed to have used only nine colours, five of them yellows. Her friends would remark that she painted very quickly, to which she would reply ‘Perhaps I make a quick beginning, but I take a long time to finish’.

EJ/CB

PROVENANCE: Mr F. Pennington; J. Leger & Son; purchased by Gallery, April 1960.

REFERENCES: M.B. Huish, The Happy England of Helen Allingham, 1985, p.177 and pl.47