Papers of Louie Burrell

The archive consists of biographical publications on Louie Burrell and postcard reproductions of her work:

* 13 postcard reproductions of the following paintings by Louie Burrell: Life Class (1900-1903); Girl at Writing Box (c. 1895); A Model (1900-1903); Old Sales - a model (1900-1903); Making Marmalade (1890-1900); Philippa (1917); A Model (1900-1903); The Forge (1890-1900); Julia (1889); A Child Seated (1904); Mrs Stanley Baldwin (1924); Nurse and Philippa (1908); Philip Burrell (1904-1907)

* 1 postcard reproduction of a painting by Ada (Margetts) Luker (mother of Louie Burrell): Still Life (c.1857)

* 'The Saratoga Trunk and The Last Door' (Jul 1997), Philippa Burrell. Booklet memoir relating to her own and her mother's artistic life.

* 'Louie Burrell - A Woman Painter', (The University of Hull Art Collection, c. 1990). A short biography compiled from the letters and writings of Philippa Burrell and Jim Murrell.

* 'Louie Burrell Woman and Artist 1873-1971' (c. 1990). Leaflet by Philippa Burrell.

Louie Luker (1873-1971) was born in Kensington in London in 1873 to a family of artists. She studied art in Bushey, in Hertfordshire, under Hubert von Herkomer from 1900-1903 but emigrated to South Africa in 1904. There she worked as a painter before marrying Philip Burrell, only returning to Britain in 1908 for the birth of her daughter, Philippa. Her husband died in Durban before being able to join her. In London, she resumed her career as a portraitist and achieved considerable success as a society artist. She was also the General Secretary of Artists' Suffrage League. She became ill in 1912, subsequently recovering during a trip to Canada. Her career in Britain ended abruptly in 1914 when commissions stopped as the First World War began. In the light of this, she travelled to California where she spent the rest of the war and where she found a new audience. She returned to London in 1919 but was unable to find work. Instead she rented out rooms and became a cook until 1923 when she came to the attention of Mrs Stanley who became her patron. She travelled to India in 1928 where she painted members of the ruling classes including the Viceroy, Lord Irwin, and Field Marshall Sir William Birdwood. However, her career ended soon after due to ill health. She died in 1971.

This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.

These papers were given by Louie Burrell's daughter Philippa in 1998, who as at c.1997 dedicated a website to her mother on http://www.louieburrell.com

The Women's Library Catalogue.

Burrell's artistic works are held by a number of repositories including Bushey Museum, Hull University Art Collection, the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), Djanogly Art Gallery at Nottingham University, the Ashmolean Museum (Oxford), the Herkomer Museum, Landsberg-am-Lech (Bavaria) and the National Gallery of Canada. Burrell's papers and correspondence are also held by Brynmor Jones Library, University of Hull (reference: DBU).