Ethel Maud Raeburn Paintings


Ethel Maud Raeburn was born in 1862, in an era when the opportunities for female artists were limited compared to their male counterparts. Despite the societal challenges, Raeburn pursued a career in the arts, demonstrating her dedication and passion for artistic expression.

Not much is widely known about Raeburn's early life, including details about her family and education. However, she is known for her association with other prominent figures in the arts. Ethel Maud was the wife of Sir Henry Raeburn, who was a significant Scottish portrait painter. Although Henry Raeburn died in 1823, the Raeburn name carried considerable artistic weight, which may have influenced Ethel's own career and the reception of her work.

Throughout her life, Raeburn would have engaged with the prevailing artistic movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, there are limited records of her exhibitions or the scope of her work. What can be assumed is that she would have worked primarily in the mediums popular at the time, such as oil painting and watercolor, focusing perhaps on subjects permissible for women artists, such as still lifes, landscapes, and perhaps portraiture.

Ethel Maud Raeburn's death came in 1922. Her legacy, like that of many women artists of her time, has been somewhat obscured by history. While no major retrospectives are known to have been dedicated to her work, the importance of recognizing artists like Raeburn lies in acknowledging the broader tapestry of art history, which includes numerous underrepresented artists whose contributions are integral to understanding the cultural and artistic narratives of their time.