Barbara Hiles BagenalShe was known by both her maiden and married name (1891–1984) was an artist associated with members of the

Bloomsbury Group The Bloomsbury Group was a group of associated British writers, intellectuals, philosophers and artists in the early 20th century. Among the people involved in the group were Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, E. M. Forster, Vanessa Bell, a ...

, primarily Vanessa Bell and

Saxon Sydney-Turner Saxon Arnoll Sydney-TurnerMiddle name sometimes mistakenly spelled Arnold, but see A Cambridge Alumni Database: https://venn.lib.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/search-2018.pl?sur=sydney-turner&suro=w&fir=saxon&firo=c&cit=&cito=c&c=all&z=all&tex=&sye=1898&eye= ...

. She was a long-time friend of fellow "

Bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, originally practised by 19th–20th century European and American artists and writers. * Bohemian style, a ...

" and artist

Dora Carrington Dora de Houghton Carrington (29 March 1893 – 11 March 1932), known generally as Carrington, was an English painter and decorative artist, remembered in part for her association with members of the Bloomsbury Group, especially the writer Lytt ...

Bloomsbury Group

In 1917, Hiles tented on the lawn of Vanessa Bell's Charleston property, which she shared with

Duncan Grant Duncan James Corrowr Grant (21 January 1885 – 8 May 1978) was a Scottish painter and designer of textiles, pottery, theatre sets, and costumes. He was a member of the Bloomsbury Group. His father was Bartle Grant, a "poverty-stricken" major ...

. In a letter Bell wrote to her sister

Virginia Woolf Adeline Virginia Woolf (; ; 25 January 1882 28 March 1941) was an English writer and one of the most influential 20th-century modernist authors. She helped to pioneer the use of stream of consciousness narration as a literary device. Vir ...

from Charleston on 23 July 1917, she notes:

"...We have had a terrific party here for the week-end. Clive and Mary,
Saxon The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...
, who suddenly telegraphed to ask if he could come and is still here, and Barbara in her tent, who spent most of the time here. I don't know how long she means to stay there. She said a week or two, but I strongly suspect she'll stay all the summer. As long as she doesn't bring all the world about our ears I don't mind, as she's very independent, but one's rather at the mercy of people if they choose to camp at one's door..."

Personal life

Despite the offer from

Hiles decided to marry Nick Bagenal, although Hiles proposed that Sydney-Turner remain her lover in an open relationship between the three of them. Bell refers to this in several letters, one offering advice to the heartbroken Sydney-Turner, and then an exchange with her sister sharing the gossip of the day: VW to VB on 29 January 1918:

"Think of the three of them discussing the question over the stove in her studio and Nick saying 'No, Saxon: you must marry her;' and Saxon refusing to be happy save in their happiness, and Barbara suggesting copulation with each on alternate nights."

VB to VW on 13 February 1918:

"I suppose if you're illVW was suffering from the
1918 flu pandemic The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the common misnomer Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the Influenza A virus subtype H1N1, H1N1 subtype of the influenz ...
I shan't get more gossip yet, though Duncan and I laughed over the last batch until we nearly cried. Have you seen Saxon lately? He writes rather melancholy letters, poor old thing, though very high-minded of course and full of the most unselfish problems. I think your description of the conversation ''a trois'' must have been exactly true to life. Lord, what characters. I myself think Barbara has behaved idiotically and will live to regret it, but there's no use saying so now. But how anyone with the imagination of an owl can conceive of life as she conceives it passes me — half the year with one, half with the other, a child by each, etc., and no one to have any jealousy or cause for complaint, and she like a looking-glass in the middle, reflecting each in turn. Poor old Saxon of course sees that it won't be so. He will be too like the poor old bachelor, faithful and solitary in Gt. Ormond St. long after we're all dead, supporting Barbara's children (by Nick) I daresay."

Hiles was also associated with Bloomsbury member

John Maynard Keynes John Maynard Keynes, 1st Baron Keynes ( ; 5 June 1883 – 21 April 1946), was an English economist and philosopher whose ideas fundamentally changed the theory and practice of macroeconomics and the economic policies of governments. Originall ...

; perhaps his only heterosexual interest until he met and fell in love with

Lydia Lopokova Lydia Lopokova, Baroness Keynes (born Lidiya Vasilyevna Lopukhova, ; 21 October 1891 – 8 June 1981) was a Russian ballerina famous during the early 20th century. Lopokova trained at the Imperial Ballet School. She toured with the Ballets Russ ...

. Hiles Bagenal remained a friend (if not lover) of Sydney-Turner throughout her marriage. Bell's comments are somewhat ironic given her own history married to Clive Bell, bearing his children, both Bells openly taking long-term lovers while never divorcing or completely separating, and Vanessa Bell bearing a last child with Duncan Grant. In fact in the 1950s Hiles Bagenal herself became Clive Bell's companion (if not lover), apparently referred to openly as "Little Ba" by the Bells and Grants and among friends. In a 1958 letter to her friend Jane Bussy Vanessa Bell writes:

"...We went not long ago to see the new Courtauld exhibition. Don't you think it rather wonderful that such a well-arranged and charming show should have sprung up in Bloomsbury? There are certain faults in Roger's part which I hope we may manage to put right — one painting attributed to Duncan which certainly isn't by him, and some horrible pottery bought at Woolworth's I should think, but on the whole it's very well done. (I believe Little Ba arbara Bagenalintends to install herself there and paint the view from the window.) She and Clive seem very vague about their winter plans, but I expect you will soon have them on you. I rather wish they'd go by train or air and hire a car in Menton, but I believe B. is against that."

Notes and references

;Notes ;References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hiles Bagenal, Barbara 1891 births 1984 deaths English painters English women artists