Suffrage Atelier was an artists' collective campaigning for

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the women's rights, right of women to Suffrage, vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to gran ...

in England. It was founded in February 1909 by

Laurence Housman Laurence Housman (; 18 July 1865 – 20 February 1959) was an English playwright, writer and illustrator whose career stretched from the 1890s to the 1950s. He studied art in London. He was a younger brother of the poet A. E. Housman and his ...

, Clemence Housman and

Alfred Pearse Alfred Pearse (20 May 1855 – 1933), also known as A Patriot, was an English artist, author, campaigner and inventor. Pearse, born at St Pancras, London, was a fourth generation artist and son of celebrated decorative artist Joseph Salter Pears ...

. Clemence was a writer, illustrator, and wood engraver, and her brother Laurence was a fantasy writer. The Atelier, which became a major political entity, accepted as its members women who were professional illustrators and writers but also encouraged non-professional artists to submit work, and paid them a small percentage of any profits. It held its first public meeting in London in February 1909, styling itself as an "Arts and Crafts Society working for the enfranchisement of women". The collective is supposed to have been formed as a result of collaboration between members of the Kensington Branch of the

Women's Social and Political Union The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was a women-only political movement and leading militant organisation campaigning for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom from 1903 to 1918. Known from 1906 as the suffragettes, its membership an ...

who worked together to produce a banner entitled ''From Prison to Citizenship'', which was designed by the Housmans. It ran printmaking, banner-making, drawing and stenciling workshops and held competitions. The Suffrage Atelier's policy Suffrage_Atelier_postcard,_c1909-1914_(38003316525)

Suffrage_Atelier_postcard,_c1909-1914_(38003316525)

was to produce only what could be quickly reproduced and circulated and so made great use of block-printing, both in wood and as linocuts in response to events. Clemence Housman was a well-respected member of the WSPU, so much of the production of the Suffrage Atelier was distributed in the WSPU store chains and national newspaper. One of the first requests for the work of the organisation was for stock for the art stall at the WSPU's 1909 Princes' Skating Rink Exhibition. In the main, the Atelier worked with the

Women's Freedom League The Women's Freedom League was an organisation in the United Kingdom which campaigned for women's suffrage and sexual equality. It was an offshoot of the militant suffragettes after the Pankhursts decide to rule without democratic support fro ...

and in December 1909 it produced a banner entitled ''Let Glasgow Flourish'' for the Glasgow Central WFL, and another banner for the Glasgow West branch. It also designed and produced a banner for the Tax Resistance League, which was carried in a procession on 18 June 1910. In the Women's Coronation procession in June 1911, the group carried their own banner which showed

Athena Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of ...

with her symbols of the owl, olive, cock, serpent, sphynx the Victory and

Medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...

head. The Suffrage Atelier had a large body of subscribers that included both men and non-professionals. Subscribers were encouraged to submit fine art, poster and post card designs, craft work, and donations. Subscribers also helped organize pageants and exhibitions.

Members

* Catherine Courtauld *

Edith Craig Edith Ailsa Geraldine Craig ( Edith Godwin; 9 December 1869 – 27 March 1947), known as Edy Craig, was a prolific theatre director, producer, costume designer and early pioneer of the women's suffrage movement in England. She was the daughte ...

* Isobel Pocock * Gladys Letcher * A.E. Hope Joseph *

Katharine Gatty Katharine Gatty (11 June 1870 – 1 May 1952) was a nurse, journalist, lecturer and militant suffragette. As a prominent member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), she received from them the Hunger Strike Medal after going on a ...

(Secretary from 1912) *Miss E.B. Willis (Honorary Secretary 1909-14).

References

British artist groups and collectives Political art Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom {{Activism-stub

Members

See also

References