Tag: esther-inglis

Esther Inglis and “Little Beasts”

On By Georgianna Ziegler

The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC has recently opened an exhibition titled “Little Beasts; Art, Wonder, and the Natural World.” I had my first slow walk-through yesterday and plan to return – maybe more than once!

It’s a small but marvelous exhibition focusing on sixteenth and seventeenth-century artists from the Netherlands who became passionate and detailed observers of the natural world, especially butterflies, moths, shells, and insects, but also larger animals, often strange ones from foreign shores. As the Dutch developed an extensive mercantile trade, they came into contact with new and exotic objects, often obtained for them by the efforts of the native peoples in the countries they visited, many in South Asia.

Joris Hoefnagel, Plate XXII from The Four Elements, c.1575-1590s. Watercolour and gold paint on parchment. NGA, Washington. Gift of Mrs. Lessing J. Rosenwald.

First focusing on Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600), the exhibition details his working methods, and displays amazing examples from his watercolour series, “The Four Elements.” Then it moves on to his later counterpart, Jan van Kessel (1626-1679) who continued Hoefnagel’s studies in oil on copper. The NGA smartly partnered with the Smithsonian Museum of Natural HIstory to borrow specimens of actual animals, insects, and shells, shown alongside the artistic representations.

Jan van Kessel the Elder, Butterfly and Insects, c. 1655, oil on copper. NGA, Washington. Gift of John Dimick.

As soon as I walked in, I thought of Esther Inglis who used the same kinds of pigments as Hoefnagel – powdered red, green, and blue from natural sources mixed in shells – and similar brushes, samples of which are on display.

And Esther’s constant pairing of biblical and moral texts with her flowers, butterflies, birds, and frogs puts her in direct conversation with Hoefnagel and others at the time who “paired many drawings with Latin inscriptions of Bible verses, bits of poetry, mottos, or proverbs.” For them, the natural world was all a manifestation of God’s creation.

Esther Inglis, Argumenta Psalmorum, 1606. Houghton Library, MS Typ. 212
Esther Inglis, Argumenta Psalmorum, 1606. Houghton Library, MS Typ. 212 (cropped)

Flemish women artists were major contributors to floral works that often contained small insects, snails, or other creatures. An exquisite painting by Clara Peeters (c.1587-after 1636), features as the only work by a woman in the exhibition.

Clara Peeters, Still Life with Flowers surrounded by Insects and a Snail, c.1610. NGA, Washington. The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund.

She and Michaelina Wautier (c.1604-1689) were contemporaries of Esther Inglis, though Esther would not likely have seen their work. They were followed by Maria van Oosterwijck (1630-1693) and Rachel Ruysch (1664-1750) among others, plus the many women who painted with watercolour on paper, such as botanical artist Alida Withoos. For more about them, see the blog posts by Ariane van Suchtelen “Women and the Art of Flower Painting”, and by Catherine Powell, “Alida Withoos: Creator of beauty and of visual knowledge.”

We can assume that Esther Inglis would have enjoyed their company as she festooned her own works with flowers and critters from the same kinds of engravings copied by artists such as Hoefnagel and van Kessel. See my Folger blog: “Buds, Bugs, and Birds in the Manuscripts of Esther Inglis.”

“Little Beasts” is on through 2 November – go if you can, and check out their website for much more detail: https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/little-beasts-art-wonder-and-natural-world

Celebrate Esther in April!

On By Georgianna Ziegler
Staatsbibliothek, Berlin MS.Lat.C14

If you’re in Edinburgh, come enjoy a wonderful afternoon with interesting talks, delightful poetry, and great music.

When: Saturday, 26th April : 2-4 PM

Where: St. Cecilia’s Hall and Concert Room, 50 Niddry Street, Edinburgh

Scottish novelist Sara Sheridan will be in conversation with historians Jamie Reid Baxter and Anna-Nadine Pike to illuminate the life and times of Franco-Scottish creative woman, Esther Inglis (1570?-1624). Writer, calligrapher, artist, embroiderer, she was the first woman in Britain to include self-portraits with her works.

RCIN MS 1047001

Then enjoy Scottish poet, Gerda Stevenson, as she reads works from Esther’s time, and some of her own poems featuring Esther.

Finally, hear The White Rose Ensemble perform music from Esther’s time, and contemporary music inspired by her work.

From Clément Perret, 1569 calligraphy manual used by Esther

Showtime! More Celebrations for Esther @400!

On By Georgianna Ziegler

Late October saw the unveiling of two new exhibitions on Esther Inglis – one virtual and permanent at Edinburgh University Library, and the other actual at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, on view from October 25 through early February.

Design by Ruth Nichols-Pike, Edinburgh

The splendid online exhibition, Rewriting the Script: the Works and Words of Esther Inglis, was developed by Anna Nadine Pike at EUL. It brings together an amazing collection of images of Esther’s manuscripts, along with videos talking about some of them, and audio readings of others. It invites the visitor to dig more deeply into examining her self-portraits, her use of embroidery, the various kinds of script she wrote, her use of printed materials, and much more. It’s a fabulous site for students to explore, so be sure to pass them the link!

Case Designs by Studio A, Alexandria, Virginia. Photo by Heather Wolfe

“Little Books, Big Gifts: the Artistry of Esther Inglis” on display in Washington, DC combines manuscripts from the Folger Library and from Harvard’s Houghton Library. These two institutions together hold the largest number of her manuscripts in the US: 6 at the Folger and 8 at Harvard. Twelve of these are now on display, in addition to several facsimile pages.

Courtesy Folger Shakespeare Library, photo by Tim Tiebout

The exhibition creates a jewel-like setting for these beautiful books in cases titled: “Selfie Star”, “Gift Giver,” “Networker,” “Embroiderer,” “Illustrator,” and “Calligrapher.” It’s hard to realize how tiny some of these manuscripts are until you actually see them – no bigger than a matchbox. These seen below are two of the larger ones at 4.5 ” high and 6″ wide when closed.

“Illustrator” Case showing Folger MSS V.a.91 and V.a.92. Photo by G. Ziegler

The exhibition also features an exact reproduction of the embroidered binding Esther made for Folger MS V.a.93, a gift for Prince Maurice of Nassau in 1599. Professional embroiderers Christy Baty and Erin Moody painstakingly re-created the velvet and seed-pearl binding, while the Folger’s Conservation Lab made a tiny reproduction of the manuscript to size to fit into the binding. This manuscript is just under 4″ high and about 2.5″ wide when closed.

Reproduction of V.a.93 – text block on left. Photo by G. Ziegler

If you can’t make it in person, then enjoy the video about Esther’s “Selfies” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK7QYU3YkaU and see a gallery of Esther’s manuscripts on the main exhibition page.  Want more? go to the page on this website for Locations of digitized manuscripts: https://estheringlis.com/ms-locations/ and enjoy!

Esther’s “selfies” used in Folger exhibition video. Photo from Folger website.

‘It’s the thought that counts’: Esther’s gift to Susan Herbert

On By Georgianna Ziegler

It was a brilliant match – seventeen-year-old Susan de Vere married Philip Herbert, soon to be Earl of Montgomery, on 27 December 1604. The young couple had contracted to each other in secret, but King James himself took up their cause and gave away the bride during the lavish court festivities that included a masque (now lost) Juno and Hymenaeus. Lady Susan was one of the daughters of Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, but she had been raised in the household of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, with all the advantages and wealth.  She had recently joined the court of Queen Anna, and maintained a close relationship with both princes Henry and Charles. 

Esther must have heard of this marriage, perhaps through her friend David Murray in Prince Henry’s household, and she presented a manuscript to Lady Susan on 20 February 1605. Alas, if only she had been better prepared. The gift was not one of the glorious coloured manuscripts full of flowers and insects, or even one of the amazingly decorated black-and-white manuscripts, but her plain calligraphic copy book, probably dating from 1586. 

Harvard, Houghton Library, MS Typ 428.1 Seq 5

Writing about this now, makes me feel a little embarrassed for Esther.  Having moved to London in mid-1604, then copied out David Hume’s treatise on British union, she apparently had not had time to create something special. And that was a shame, since Susan Herbert loved the arts, danced in many of the Queen’s masques, and became a noted patron to a number of writers. What she thought of Esther’s little book, we’ll never know.

Harvard, Houghton Library, MS Typ 428.1 Seq 3 – Dedication

Perhaps at least she appreciated the dedication in which Esther writes: ‘. . . albeit I be a stranger and no way knowen to your L[adyship], yitt haue I tane the boldnes to present you with thir few flovris that I have collected of Dame FLORAS blossomes Trusting your L will accept heirof als kindlie as from my heart I haue done it, and in humilitie offers the same to your L. and the rather becaus it is the work of a woman of one, desyrous to serue and honour your L, in any thinge it shall please your L, to command’.

Lady Susan had a superior education in the Cecil household, which likely included a writing master. If she looked through Esther’s book with its forty different calligraphic hands, she might have been reminded of her own studies, though she would not have reached Esther’s professional proficiency.

Harvard, Houghton Library, MS Typ 428.1 Seq 49

Harvard, Houghton Library, MS Typ 428.1 Seq 71

At the end of the dedication, Esther hopes her little work will be agreeable to Lady Susan, and shows her knowledge of the recent wedding when she says, ‘I pray God blis and preserue your L, and your noble husband in long life, good health and prosperitie.  At London this xx of Februar 1605’.

Later in 1605, Esther began producing a string of beautiful, coloured manuscripts, for Robert Sidney, Earl of Leicester; Lucy, Countess of Bedford; and Elizabeth, Lady Erskine, among many others. If she had had such a one available, who knows whether she would have gained a genuine patroness in Susan de Vere Herbert, soon to be Countess of Montgomery.

‘Grizzle Nimmo aught’ the Earl of Morton’s Book

On By Georgianna Ziegler

On 26 January 1607, Esther Inglis presented a copy of Gwalther’s Latin verse summary of the Gospel of Matthew “To the Right Honorable and Most Noble Lord, William Earle of Morton, Lord of Dalkeyth, &C.” At the age of twenty-four, William Douglas had succeeded to his grandfather’s title and become 7th Earl of Morton in November 1606. Two years earlier he had married Lady Anne Keith, daughter of George Keith, fourth earl Marischal (ODNB).  

William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton, from a painting at Dalmahoy

David Murray, Esther’s “ear” at court, must have told her that Morton was arriving in London where she was residing in 1606.  Esther writes, “sen I hard of yr cumming to this cantrie, I haue bene exercised in perfyting this litle book dedicated to yr Lo:”  She had never met him, but he was obviously an up-and-coming young man from a very distinguished family (Mary Queen of Scots had been kept at his grandfather’s castle Lochleven).  Esther writes: “My Lord, that one vnknown to your Lo: hes emboldned hir selfe to present you with a few grapes of hir collection, I hope your Lo: shal not altogether mislyk therof.”  

Esther also hopes that she won’t “be estemed impudent in transending the limites of scham fastnes (wherwith our sexe is commonlie adorned) in offring this small work of my pen and pensill . . . Beseeching you accept of it and the rather becaus it is a womans work.” This bowing and scraping of course is merely an expected stance, used by both sexes at the time; Esther knows full well the beauty and value of her work.  

Esther Inglis, Argumenta singulorum capitum Evangelii Matthaei Apostoli, 26 January 1607. NLS MS Acc. 11821. Image from Perdita

The 7th Earl went on to become a member of the Scottish Privy Council, and in 1630, Lord High Treasurer of Scotland. We don’t know what he thought of the manuscript; perhaps he passed it on to his wife, Anne. It is certainly beautiful, decorated with Esther’s signature style of a flower-strewn, gold title-page frame, and fine drawings of flowers on each page of text.  In the early eighteenth century, the manuscript passed into the hands of a young woman, Grizel Nimmo (1688-1730).  She noted her ownership several times on the verso of folio 30: “This Book at present doth belong unto me Grisall Nimmo” and “I Grizell Nimmo aught ys Book 1712/ Grishilda Nimmo.” Much information on Grizzell’s family and subsequent owners is filed with the manuscript in the National Library of Scotland.     

Esther Inglis, Argumenta singulorum capitum Evangelii Matthaei Apostoli, 26 January 1607. NLS MS Acc. 11821, fol. 30v. Image from Perdita