Darney, Lilian Dalzell - portrait of Elizabeth Henrietta Darney

This miniature portrait is signed and dated 1895 by Lilian Dalzell Darney (1872-1966) who was active from 1891-1895. In the 1901 census, she is recorded as living with her brother-in-law in Ordsall, Notts, England.

As shown below, the sitter is described on the reverse as Queenie Darney and she has been identified with the assistance of kind visitors as Lilian's younger sister, Elizabeth Henrietta Darney (31 Oct 1881-1974), for which I am very grateful.

The visitor has also sent me a copy of a sketch in Lilian Darney's sketchbook which is the basis for this miniature of Queenie.

The frame is made from copper, which is fairly unusual, but is a sign of the arts and crafts movement which was an important influence around the end of the 19C. According to the "Dictionary of British Artists 1880-1940", Lilian exhibited as follows: Colinton, Edinburgh 1894, Witney, Oxon 1909, Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts (twice), Royal Academy (three times) and the Royal Scottish Academy (six times).

Interestingly, the miniature is dated 1895, but Lilian's sketchbook dates the portrait at 1891. It seems the miniature was painted several years later than the initial sketch, perhaps when Lilian felt more confident of her own painting ability. 813

"Lilian Dalzell Darney and Queenie (Elizabeth Henrietta) Darney were sisters, and were my great-aunts. Lilian lived from 1872 to 1966; Queenie from 1883 to 1974. They had two other sisters (only one of whom married), and one brother (my grandfather, John Darney)."

"Lilian's sisters were nurses -- one of them became the matron of an insane asylum in Edinburgh that is now a historical site due to the fact that Mary Queen of Scots visited one of her "Mary's" there.

"Lilian's miniatures were shown at the Royal Academy, London, in Glasgow, and possibly in Liverpool (although it might have Manchester or Sheffield). She also painted watercolours, of which I own several dated from 1902 to 1912, which were not shown as far as I know."

"I also have many original sketches of her miniatures. My sister has a few finished miniatures, one of our dad at a young age, and one that is of an ancestor of ours, one of the investors who started up "The Scotsman". This was Alexander Dalzell Abernethy (1777-1853), whom she must have copied from an earlier painting. Lilian painted another copy of that and gave it to The Scotsman in 1962 in honour of their 150th anniversary."

"When we were kids in the 1950's "The Aunts" sent us a Xmas parcel each year filled with second-hand books, stamps for our stamp collections, bits of tapestry made into all sorts of useful items (needle cases come to mind), and one time a pair of 19th C women's boots that required a boot-hook tool to do them up. Our feet didn't fit in and I have no idea whatever happened to them."

"Queenie has a great resemblance to many of my nieces, and to my own daughters. When our kids are young, they all seem to have a very strong Darney "look" about them. Nice to see that it went back that far."