Clara Maria Leigh or Clara Maria Pope (c.1767 – 24 December 1838) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

painter and botanical artist. Clara-Pope camellia-plate

Life

Born in London, Leigh was christened in 1767 at St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe. Her father was Jared Leigh, an amateur artist. She is pictured as an infant with her parents and siblings in George Romney's 1768 painting of the family group held by the National Gallery of Victoria at Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She worked as an artist's model for a number of years. She married the painter

Francis Wheatley Francis Wheatley may refer to: *Francis Wheatley (painter) Francis Wheatley Royal Academy, RA (174728 June 1801) was an England, English portrait and Landscape art, landscape Painting, painter. Life and work Wheatley was born at Wild Court, Cov ...

in 1786. They had four daughters, Clara Maria (1788 - 1847) who married Thomas Clark Brettingham, Frances (1790 - 1848) who married Charles Middleton, Caroline Groves (1793 - 1879) who married James Adams and Emma (Feb 1795 - Mar 1795) and a son Francis John (1791 - 1872) who married Martha Ewing. Leigh began by painting miniatures, and by 1796 she was exhibiting at the Royal Academy. Her husband died in 1801, and Leigh struggled to support her family. An accomplished botanical artist by this stage, her work was noticed for its beauty and accuracy by

Samuel Curtis Samuel Curtis (born in Walworth, Surrey on 29 August 1779-died at La Chaire, Rozel Bay, Jersey, on 6 January 1860

, the publisher of the

Botanical Magazine ''The Botanical Magazine; or Flower-Garden Displayed'', is an illustrated publication which began in 1787. The longest running botanical magazine, it is widely referred to by the subsequent name ''Curtis's Botanical Magazine''. Each of the issue ...

. She created notable full-sized illustrations for ''Curtis's Botanical Magazine'' as well as for his other works, ''Monograph on the Genus Camellia'' (1819) and ''The Beauties of Flora ''. She was supported in her work by the architect Sir

John Soane Sir John Soane (; né Soan; 10 September 1753 – 20 January 1837) was an English architect who specialised in the Neoclassical architecture, Neo-Classical style. The son of a bricklayer, he rose to the top of his profession, becoming professor ...

, who commissioned the watercolour ''The Flowers of Shakespeare'' (1835), which depicts a bust of the bard in Soane's collection surrounded by all the flowers mentioned in Shakespeare's works. In 1807, Leigh married the actor and painter

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early ...

, becoming his third wife. She taught painting, and her students included

Princess Sophia of Gloucester Princess Sophia of Gloucester (Sophia Matilda; 29 May 1773 – 29 November 1844) was a great-granddaughter of King George II of Great Britain and niece of King George III. Life Princess Sophia was born in Grosvenor Street, Mayfair. Her fathe ...

and other members of the British aristocracy. Her work is included in the collection of the

Tate Museum Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the UK ...

. Pope died in London in 1838.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pope, Clara Maria 1760s births 1838 deaths 18th-century English women artists 19th-century English women artists Painters from London English women painters British botanical illustrators