Lily Blatherwick (Britain 1859 -1934)

Lily Blatherwick was a British printmaker and the wife of the famed lithographer Archibald Standish Hartick.  Although there is nothing astonishing in her designs or execution there is something of interest.  In many ways Blatherwick's works were overshadowed by the works of her husband, but her own works are an expression of appreciation for the romantic beauty of the natural world.  Her realism was not wasted just on a lovely scene however.  Despite the monochromatic aspects of these lithographs, the works themelseves have a richness all their own. 

A wise artist turns away from hackneyed subjects, not from a desire to appear original but from a feeling that he or she can better test their powers on subjects that are not wrapped in memories.  It is clear that Blatherwick was not oblivious of the work done by her husband, her works are works of her own desire and are competent and clearly trained images of nature.  Yes, there is something Edwardian about them, but at a time when many Edwardians were doing works of Venetian bridges or Gothic protals, here was a woman doing something that inspired her. 

When an artist struck off across the open country and looked at unfamiliar things they often did so within the parameters of their own training and their cultural understanding of things.  Here was an artist who, more than likely did works that were inspired by her own garden.  They are delicate works and her sensitive suggestions of form show a woman who had the freedom to pursue and enjoy the things she wanted to.  Other artists, might have done this as well, and captured the same kinds of images with just as much skill, but these plates are beautiful and show us an artist capable of putting nature to the lithographic stone.

Blatherwick exhibited at the Royal Academy and her name is generally centered on watercolour studies of flowers, but I would suggest she was more of a naturalist.  Her works are held in all of the major British museums including the V&A and the British.