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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781775581123 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Auckland University Press |
| Publication date: | 11/01/2013 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 594 |
| File size: | 7 MB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Letters of Frances Hodgkins
By Linda Gill
Auckland University Press
Copyright © 1993 F. M. Hodgkins EstateAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-77558-112-3
CHAPTER 1
PART ONE
1869–98
Family and Friends
Frances Mary Hodgkins was born in Dunedin on 28 April 1869 and spent the first thirty-one years of her life there with her family. Eighty letters survive from that time, nearly all of them written to her sister Isabel when both women were in their twenties.
The only earlier letters provide two glimpses of FH's childhood. The first; to her father, is the only letter to him in the entire correspondence, a curious distortion of the importance of W. M. Hodgkins in the life of his daughter. A lawyer by profession, he was a dedicated and gifted watercolourist, the centre of a private Art Club, a founding member and later President of the Otago Art Society and prime mover in the establishment of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery in 1884. Northcote was the family home from just after FH's birth until 1878. A one-storeyed, rambling wooden house set in spacious grounds on the northern outskirts of the city, it represented middle-class comfort rather than elegance.
[1] TO WILLIAM MATHEW HODGKINS, 11 JUNE C. 1875
[Northcote, Cumberland St, Dunedin] Juen the 11
My dear papa
I am very glad to see you again
And I wish you many happy returns of the day
With love dear papa
from your affactionate daughter
Fanny Hodgkins
love and 000000000.
The other letter was written just before FH's twelfth birthday. This was the most prosperous period in the Hodgkins family life. In 1878 W. M. Hodgkins had bought Claverton House, a substantial dwelling which may still be seen at 30 Royal Terrace, then as now one of the most attractive and desirable residential streets in the heart of Dunedin. It is the only Hodgkins house to survive. In 1881 William Mathew and his wife were able to afford a holiday in Melbourne, visiting his Australian relations and viewing the International Exhibition. They left their children in the care of Aunt Isabella Carrick who came to stay in Dunedin from her home in Christchurch. The Royses were neighbours and family friends.
[2] TO RACHEL HODGKINS, C. 12 APRIL 1881
[Claverton House, Royal Terrace, Dunedin] Tuesday
Dearest Mother
I am so sorry that I have not written to you before this, but I really could not help it. I was going to write on Sunday night, but just as I was going to do so some gentlemen came in. I forgot to tell you that this was down at Mrs. Royse's. ... I am sorry to say I have broken a little bit off my tooth, in a tumble I had. I will tell you how it happened – On Monday morning we were all playing in the garden, when Mr. Royse came out and went into the conservatory to water the plants, then we went in too, Mr. Royse began to water us instead of the plants then all of a sudden he dodged and ran after me, and I bolted [out] of the door, but just as I was going through my foot skipped and I fell on my face and knocked half of my tooth out, and cut my lip a little. I did not go to school that day because my mouth hurt a little. You must not think it much because it is not.
I hope you are enjoying yourself very much. Will you be back for my birthday. Willie is coming down on the 22 of this month & not going to wait for you. Give my love to all our cousins and dear Grandpapa and everybody.
Aunt Bella let us all go to the Beach on Saturday because it was such a fine day. The little Royse's went with us. I must not write too much, because I have to go to bed directly or else I will get a bad mark. Although I think Aunt Bella is only pretending to give us bad marks, because I found out that she only puts down all the money she spends, and the things she buys. I trully must say goodnight now because I am afraid of a bad mark, so good night darling mother give my best love to papa and tell him I am going to write to him next time, all the little ones are exceedingly good and send their love.
I remain your
Very goodest daughter
F Hodgkins.
P. S. Did you have a nice voyage over and make haste and come home –
FH was now twenty-three and in the preceding eleven years the family had moved house twice. W. M. Hodgkins's prosperity declined as the boom years following the discovery of gold in 1861 gave way to the depression of the 1880s. In order to economise he sold Claverton House and in 1884 moved his family into a much humbler house, Waira, in the suburb of Ravensbourne. Then, declared bankrupt in 1888, he rented Cranmore Lodge, a large thirteen-roomed house closer to the city where the family lived from 1889 to 1897. In the eight and a half acres of grounds they kept a cow and poultry, which provided FH with some of her earliest subject matter. They retained one servant, Phemie, who served as a model for FH's first attempts at genre painting.
W. M. Hodgkins's financial difficulties did not interfere with his continued leadership in Dunedin art circles and may even have enhanced the artistic life of his gifted daughters, motivating them to push their talents beyond mere accomplishment. Isabel had exhibited regularly since 1884 and in 1888–9 financed an eight-month visit to Australia from the sale of her paintings. There she visited the Centennial Exhibition in Melbourne at which both she and her father were represented. By 1892, when she became engaged to William Hughes Field, she was an established artist in watercolour with a considerable reputation in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. FH had first exhibited in 1890 in Christchurch and Dunedin. Like Isabel she was now painting seriously, preparing work for sale at the annual exhibitions of the art societies in Dunedin and Christchurch, and the Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington. In 1892 Isabel Hodgkins went to stay with Aunt Bella in Christchurch to be nearer her fiancé, a young Wellington lawyer, and the sisters corresponded.
[3] TO ISABEL HODGKINS, 25 APRIL 1892
Cranmore Lodge. April 25th '92.
My dearest Sissie
I am scribbling a few lines before going to bed to keep you from feeling yourself neglected. I have just come home from the Scotts where Father and I have been dining and am very tired. This morning I went for a long tramp over the hills with Mr. Cherry. I took him down the N.E. Valley and up as far as the Upper Junction. He seems to have an insane desire to climb every hill he comes across ... and my condition at present is of the chewed string description. However it was a lovely morning & I enjoyed the ramble tho I grudged the time. I am hoping there will be a letter tomorrow from you, but I must not build my hopes too high for likely as not I will be disappointed.
Mrs. Scott is a good deal annoyed at the romantic Katie. She got married without consulting anyone and has gone out to Oregon – and Mrs. S. doesn't foretell the future married bliss that Katie has such ideals of – nothing like an old maid for romance & sentiment is there! ... Dr. S. gave me a lively description of the Chch pictures, mine included, they were very funny at my expense tonight over the head and made scathing remarks about carved out turnips and beetroot ears, expressions more agricultural than artistic I think. I paid Dr. S. out however by forgetting to ask to see his Rotorua sketches and he had to offer to show them much to Mrs. Scott's amusement....
[4] TO ISABEL HODGKINS, 3 MAY 1892
Cranmore Lodge. May 3rd 92.
My dearest Sissie
It is getting too dark to paint any more, so I have stopped and am going to have a yarn with you. It has been such a miserably wet day and I am glad to light the lamps and pull the blinds down and shut out the dreary outlook. How am I to thank you for the very generous "trifle" you sent me for my birthday as if you had not already given me enough. I felt such a brute taking it from you, especially now when you want all you have. Ungracious tho' it sounds it would give me a great deal more pleasure to return it to you than to spend it. So Aunt Bella has bought my ducks, her kindness has indeed outweighed her choice and artistic judgement, surely she has got enough of my livestock on her walls. I met Miss Ross in town today and she said "Anything here in the way of feathers?" I told her I had turned my attention to pork! Dont you think pigs are very paintable? ... I went with Miss Ross to see her studio – what a lot of pottering things she does paint, and yet she makes it pay, and talks quite cheerfully about selling at the Chicago Ex. to which she is sending some things. Your description of the Meeson lunch was killing and your flow of bad language cheered me up considerably. It showed me that you had not set about that "revised edition" of yourself that you talked of so earnestly after your engagement do you remember?
Miss Marshall's trip to Japan didn't come off after all; when she got to Sydney, the Rosses cabled for her to come back as Mrs. R. was ill & couldn't manage without her. A trifle selfish don't you think! Fancy coming back to vegetate in Ravensbourne after having been halfway on one's way to the Land of the Rising Sun.
. ... You say you find Chch. dull without Will, it's nothing to the dullness I feel here without you, it's a good thing I have got a painting fit on me, or I might find these wet days a trifle long....
Bertie has been playing the Dead March in Saul for the last half hour and Boss is howling outside the door. Bertie with both pedals down refuses to hear my shouts so I will end this scribble and go and stop the awful racket.
With best love from us all, ever your loving sister Fanny....
[5] TO ISABEL HODGKINS, 14 MAY 1892
Cranmore Lodge. May 14. 92
My dearest Sissie
Before this reaches you, you will have seen Father, poor old man. He must have had a miserably cold journey up. We seem to have suddenly plunged into the middle of winter, and the cold today & yesterday has been intense....
. ... I spent the evening at Joe's and Clara's last night. How I do dislike that worthy couple! They asked me to tea so I started at half past five mindful of the last evening you & I spent there but to my horror I found tea half over and Clara as sulky as a bear and very nasty – I had a cold reception in every sense of the word, tomatoes and bread & butter for tea on a winter's night are not to quote Miss Holmes "grateful & comforting", so you may imagine I had a cheerful evening. They were quite regardless of my presence & spooned in the most disgusting manner. Clara said with a mawkish smile "dont we look the picture of happiness?" I said "I think you both make a much better caricature." Clara stiffened at once and behaved herself for the rest of the evening! She has a wholesome dread of me, I am glad to say and tried to make me promise before I came away that I will not draw her but I shall.
May came over this afternoon she was going to the Cumines so I arranged to meet her there at six o'clock and we would come thro' the bush together. When I got there I found she had trotted off with the youngest Cumine youth and left me to go home by myself. Wasn't that a shabby trick and for an old fossil like that too. I was very angry for she has served us that way so often....
[6] TO ISABEL HODGKINS, C.25 MAY 1892
[Cranmore Lodge]
. ... Did I tell you about the Lecture on Ancient Statuary Prof. Sale gave in aid of [the] Art Gallery Fund. It went off splendidly and the dem'd total raised was £30, which as the Mayor said in his speech, would buy a "few good pictures". I collected nearly £4. One place I went to I discovered my little washing girl on the walls. They gushed a bit when they heard I was the artist and next day sent me 10/. Wasn't it handsome of them! The lime-light views were splendid but in spite of their beauty when the gas was turned up, several people were found fast asleep. The lecture was too long, so when Father got up to make a few remarks nobody listened, but poured out in a mass, and he was left on the platform with his neat little prepared speech with several apt quotations in it echoing round an empty building. It was very funny but it took him some time to see the joke. ... I am going up the Valley again tomorrow to do some sketching. The Rattrays, Dinah McNeill, the Scotts and Nellie Haggitt & Mrs. Stilling came up today. You see my news has come to an end when I have to fall back on the visitors hasn't it? So I will stop before I write any more twaddle. So goodbye, dear old girlie With best love to everybody, ever yours most lovingly
Fanny.
[Letter incomplete]
[7] TO ISABEL HODGKINS, 22 JUNE 1892
Cranmore Lodge. Wednesday.
My dearest Sissie
. ... I was so awfully glad to hear of your success at Fisher's, tho' I wish I could have seen the picture before it was sold. I too have had a small stroke of luck. Mrs. Woodhouse has given me a £2.2. commission for a picture. She prefers a duck subject so I will not have to waste any time on an idea hunt....
The Savage last night was at the Rattrays. I went to dinner at the Spences and went with them. Maudie Butterworth was chairwoman and got together a very good programme. Maggie Gilk[ison] was there & sar plain she looked too. Manie Reynolds and Mrs. McKenzie both gave recitations, respectively of the milk-and-water and fire-eating types and Miss Cumine gave a chapter from Pickwick deliciously, & for the rest the entertainment was mostly vocal.
I hope you are having fine weather for Will's visit. We have had snow & heavy frosts, & the ground has been frozen hard for some days. My poor old cow has been almost starved. Yesterday Phemie lost a kerozene-tin stopper and couldn't find it anywhere, but tonight it came to light in the most wonderful manner. Frank rushed in and said the cow had got a fit, and I ran out to find the poor animal choking violently in the stable. Presently it opened its mouth and with a final convulsion out shot the long lost stopper, and the cow of course recovered rapidly. Mother's vivid imagination discovered a kerozeny flavor about the milk tonight but as the cow refused to digest the stopper that could hardly be so. You say nothing about coming home, dear. Your sorrowing relatives ask for news. If I wasn't so busy I would miss you horribly. I spend all my spare time with Miss Wimperis and as yet I despair of ever being able to draw in a fairly decent manner. She is a cheerless little lady & it is like swimming against the tide without you to jog along with. Mother is very well and sends her best love....
[8] TO ISABEL HODGKINS, 1 JULY 1892
Cranmore Lodge.
My dearest Sissie
. ... I am so glad dearest you have made up your mind to come home, we are prepared to kill the fatted calf at a moment's notice. How frightfully disappointed you must have been at Will's hurried return. It did seem cruel after all those delays and worries, but cheer up dearie and remember that worse things happen at sea. According to Miss Holmes in a letter to father, this is the last time you will see each other for six months, it does seem hard doesn't it. Kate Rattray has returned and asked after you at the Savage on Tuesday. It was a very good meeting. ... There was a vast deal of amusement created by Manie posing as Helen of Troy, while Mrs. Melland spouted Tennyson's Dream of Fair Women, and then Rachel came on as Iphigenia, and I felt that my ideals of classical beauty had sustained a severe shock. Miss Annie Cargill made a buxom and countryfied Cleopatra and frollicked thro' her part successfully, and Lulu Roberts as Joan of Arc looked splendid in tinsel and silver paper. ... I went to lunch at the Scotts' yesterday. ... Dr Scott has given me a £2.2 commission to copy an old picture, or rather print. He wont hear of my doing it as a "labor of love" as I wished, so I have consented to accept a "slight remuneration". It is a gruesome subject of a surgical operation for his dissecting room....
The new Academy Notes have just come in and I have promptly sat upon them to prevent them being rushed by the rest of the family so I must stop and have a look at them before Father comes in....
P.S. Tell Will when you write that I hope his next visit will be to Dunedin!
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Letters of Frances Hodgkins by Linda Gill. Copyright © 1993 F. M. Hodgkins Estate. Excerpted by permission of Auckland University Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Title Page,Dedication,
Epigraph,
Acknowledgements,
Editorial Note,
Introduction,
Frances Hodgkins's Family,
PART ONE 1869–98 Family and Friends,
PART TWO 1898–1901 Mother and Daughter,
PART THREE 1901 The Voyage Out,
PART FOUR 1901–2 Two Artists Abroad,
PART FIVE 1902 'Little Mother Pulling at My Heart Strings',
PART SIX 1902–3 Winter in Morocco,
PART SEVEN 1904–6 'A Futile and Useless Weariment',
PART EIGHT 1906–7 Return to Europe,
PART NINE 1907–8 A Year in Holland,
PART TEN 1908–12 Settled in France,
PART ELEVEN 1912–14 Antipodean Triumph,
PART TWELVE 1914–18 St Ives in Wartime,
PART THIRTEEN 1919–27 'The Terror of These Distracted Years',
PART FOURTEEN 1927–31 Success in London,
PART FIFTEEN 1932–9 The Firm,
PART SIXTEEN 1939–47 'They All Want Frances H Now',
Bibliography,
Brief Chronology,
Index of Recipients,
Index,
Plates,
Copyright,