A collection of some 400 prints and drawings from the collection of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM), UK are now freely available online for the first time, in high resolution. The images span three categories : women artists, wildlife and printmaking.
The RAMM was founded in 1868 and has a diverse collection. In collaboration with the GLAM-E Lab at the University of Exeter, the museum continues to digitise, and assess the legal status of works in the collection. It is now the 9th cultural institution in the UK to adopt open access for all digital collections.
Here are our favourites!
You can see the openly-licensed collection here.
Two girls at the printing press.
Description: This lithograph is typical of Berthon’s Art Nouveau style. Berthon mainly produced posters; in 1900 he made this print for the Salon des Arts Libéraux. The poster was also printed in editions without letters for collectors. Only a few copies with the letters have survived.
It is interesting to see two women pictured near a printing press. For many centuries, printing and printmaking was a world dominated by men. Although we do not know whether Berthon was sending a message to the visitors to the Salon, the poster seems to introduce the 20th-century printing revolution, which will see women play a central role in disseminating powerful images and texts.
Two girls at the printing press by Paul Berthon (1872–1934)
Description: This lithograph is typical of Berthon’s Art Nouveau style. Berthon mainly produced posters; in 1900 he made this print for the Salon des Arts Libéraux. The poster was also printed in editions without letters for collectors. Only a few copies with the letters have survived.
It is interesting to see two women pictured near a printing press. For many centuries, printing and printmaking was a world dominated by men. Although we do not know whether Berthon was sending a message to the visitors to the Salon, the poster seems to introduce the 20th-century printing revolution, which will see women play a central role in disseminating powerful images and texts.
The Garden Seat
Description: Kate Greenaway’s work looks back to an idyllically happy childhood. Her work dwells on the nature of a child’s experience whilst looking back to the visual styles and fashions of the past. Her nostalgic depiction of children captured the Victorian imagination. This is reflected in the resurgence in popularity of 18th century dress such as bonnets, smocks, frocks, aprons, ribbons and bonnets in which she clothed the children depicted in her work.
The Garden Seat , c. 1892 to 1898 / Kate Greenaway
Description: Kate Greenaway’s work looks back to an idyllically happy childhood. Her work dwells on the nature of a child’s experience whilst looking back to the visual styles and fashions of the past. Her nostalgic depiction of children captured the Victorian imagination. This is reflected in the resurgence in popularity of 18th century dress such as bonnets, smocks, frocks, aprons, ribbons and bonnets in which she clothed the children depicted in her work.
Morning
Description: The painting was created by artist Isabel Codrington (1874-1943), who was born in Bydown, Devon. She came from an artistic family and entered the Royal Academy School of Art aged just 15. She was best known for her paintings of ‘gypsies, hawkers and portraits of peasants’. Morning is typical of Codrington’s work and highlights her mastery of light and shadow.
Morning, c.1920 to 1934 / Isabel Codrington
Description: The painting was created by artist Isabel Codrington (1874-1943), who was born in Bydown, Devon. She came from an artistic family and entered the Royal Academy School of Art aged just 15. She was best known for her paintings of ‘gypsies, hawkers and portraits of peasants’. Morning is typical of Codrington’s work and highlights her mastery of light and shadow.
Harbour Scene
Description:
The exact location of this harbour is unknown. It is possible that it is a Devon harbour as Edith Isobel Barrow lived in Combe Martin, from 1906. Barrow was a painter of interiors, landscapes, seascapes and portraits. She was known for her flower painting, having exhibited her first when she was 16. Her skill was such that some were exhibited at the Chicago Exhibition of 1918. Queen Mary purchased some of Barrow’s flower paintings and the Empress Frederick of Germany bought several of her paintings of Westminster.
Harbour Scene / Edith Isobel Barrow
Description:
The exact location of this harbour is unknown. It is possible that it is a Devon harbour as Edith Isobel Barrow lived in Combe Martin, from 1906. Barrow was a painter of interiors, landscapes, seascapes and portraits. She was known for her flower painting, having exhibited her first when she was 16. Her skill was such that some were exhibited at the Chicago Exhibition of 1918. Queen Mary purchased some of Barrow’s flower paintings and the Empress Frederick of Germany bought several of her paintings of Westminster.
Muscipula
Description: Cousins was celebrated for his mastery of mezzotint, a labour-intensive and intricate printmaking method. Cousins became one of the leading practitioners of this art form in the 19th century.
One of Cousins’ primary contributions to printmaking was his ability to faithfully reproduce the works of prominent painters, like this print after a painting by Joshua Reynolds. His mezzotints helped to disseminate and popularise these artists’s works to a broader audience.
Muscipula c. 1879 / Samuel Cousins
Description: Cousins was celebrated for his mastery of mezzotint, a labour-intensive and intricate printmaking method. Cousins became one of the leading practitioners of this art form in the 19th century.
One of Cousins’ primary contributions to printmaking was his ability to faithfully reproduce the works of prominent painters, like this print after a painting by Joshua Reynolds. His mezzotints helped to disseminate and popularise these artists’s works to a broader audience.
Certhia familiaris Linnaeus Eurasian treecreeper
Description: Ann Lee (1753 – 1790) was a British artist best known for her drawings of plants. The collection at RAMM also includes birds, insects and a wildebeast. She was the youngest daughter of the Hammersmith nurseryman and botanist James Lee (about 1715–1795) who was employed for a while by botanist Joseph Banks. She had access to her father’s living plant collections and his museum of pinned insects from around the world. James engaged Sydney Parkinson (about 1745-1771) to tutor his daughter in drawing at the age of 14 or 15 years old. Under his direction Ann’s work developed to produce naturalistic images which included a shadow effect that added depth of field.
Certhia familiaris Linnaeus Eurasian treecreeper / c. 1770-1800 / Ann Lee
Description: Ann Lee (1753 – 1790) was a British artist best known for her drawings of plants. The collection at RAMM also includes birds, insects and a wildebeast. She was the youngest daughter of the Hammersmith nurseryman and botanist James Lee (about 1715–1795) who was employed for a while by botanist Joseph Banks. She had access to her father’s living plant collections and his museum of pinned insects from around the world. James engaged Sydney Parkinson (about 1745-1771) to tutor his daughter in drawing at the age of 14 or 15 years old. Under his direction Ann’s work developed to produce naturalistic images which included a shadow effect that added depth of field.
