Anne Frances Byrne

Anne Frances Byrne (1775–1837) was a British watercolor painter. Her subject material consisted mainly of birds, fruit and flowers painted in a realistic style. Anne came from a family of artists and occasionally butted heads with her contemporaries and faced criticisms due to sexism among artists and painters in her time.

Life and Family

Anne Frances Byrne was born in 1775 in London. Her mother's name is unknown but her father was William Byrne, a notable engraver who specialized in landscapes. Anne was the oldest of her four other siblings, all of whom went on to become artists themselves. Mary Byrne Green was the second oldest Byrne sibling, a student of Swiss painting, and specialized in miniature painted landscapes. Letitia Byrne was the youngest Byrne sister, and she became popularized for her etchings and engravings, a craft that William Byrne passed down to his children. Her work also focused mainly on landscapes. John Byrne was the youngest of the five Byrne children and he lived with his sister Elizabeth Byrne. They specialised in landscapes, although his medium of choice was watercolor. Anne Frances Byrne and her siblings grew up helping in their father's engraving shop and learned artistic techniques from him before going off on their own to study under masters. Although Gouldsmith wrote about her own work, this experience was widespread among females in art at the time. The effect is still noticeable today due to the lack of documentation of Anne Frances Byrne and her contemporaries. The works of women in this time were often less respected simply due to the gender of the artist, and not based upon the merit of the work itself.

Notable works The following works were exhibited at the Royal Society of British Artists and the Royal Watercolour Society. Hollyhock Roses From Nature Foxgloves From Nature Flowers and Grapes Roses and Grapes Grapes and Strawberries