HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Ellen Carter (née Vavasour; 1762 – 22 September 1815) was an English artist and book illustrator. Carter was the daughter of Walter Vavasour of Weston in Yorkshire, and Ellen, his wife, daughter of Edward Elmsall of Thornhill in the same county. She was born in 1762, and baptised at St Olave's Church, York, on 16 May. At an early age, though a
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
, she was placed in a convent at
Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...
, with which her family had been connected for some generations. Though strongly affected by the surrounding influence of the
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
religion, she never actually forsook her own religion, and after her return to England she became well known for her devotion to her church. In November 1787, she married the curate of Thornhill, the Rev. John Carter. Her husband became the head-master of Lincoln Grammar School, and incumbent of St. Swithin's church. Carter was devoted to artistic pursuits, and particularly excelled in drawing the human figure. She drew illustrations for the ''Archæologia'', ''
The Gentleman's Magazine ''The Gentleman's Magazine'' was a monthly magazine founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1907, ceasing publication altogether in 1922. It was the first to use the term ''m ...
'', and other similar works. A print was published from a design by her, entitled ‘The Gardener's Girl,’ intended as a companion to Thomas Barker's ‘Woodboy.’ Her drawings were frequently in private collections. Her devotion to her art took a toll on her health. The death of her eldest son gave her a shock from which she never recovered. She died on 22 September 1815 and was buried in the churchyard of St. Peter in Eastgate, Lincoln.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Ellen 1762 births 1815 deaths English illustrators 18th-century English women artists 19th-century English women artists