The Staircase, Myrtle Grove - Blake, Lady Edith (My University, 2008)
'Edith Osborne was born at Newtown, Anner, Ireland in 1845, into a family of moderately wealthy land owners. She developed an interest in painting at an early age and was much encouraged by her family and also by artists such as the Swiss landscape artist Alexandre Calame and the Thomas Shotter Boys who visited the family home. Throughout her travels with her husband, Edith Blake took an avid interest in the fauna and flora. It was during her time in Jamaica that she was able to combine her artistic abilities and her interest in butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) to produce a collection of nearly 200 watercolours. In retirement the Blakes returned to their native Ireland to a much-loved house in Youghal, County Cork. Following Henry's death in 1918, Edith became a sad recluse wearing only mourning black for the rest of her life. She died at home in 1926.' (www.nhm.ac.uk)
Keywords: Art--Irish; Still life painting--19th century; Botanical illustration--Ireland.; Flowers in art; Staircases; Butterflies in art; 19th century