About Dorothy Ellsmore Paul
Lived 1900 – 1974. Dorothy Ellsmore Paul was an illustrator and cartoonist.
Dorothy Ellsmore Paul (; 3 February 1902 – July 1973) was an Australian artist and cartoonist.
Biography Paul was born Dorothy May Ellsmore in 1902 in Hertfordshire, England. She left for Australia at just nineteen years old, arriving in Sydney on 18 March 1921. Once in Sydney she trained under Julian Ashton. By 1924 she was drawing cartoons for the soldiers' magazine Aussie alongside fellow female cartoonists Mahdi McCrae, Betty and Esther Paterson, and Lillian Pedersen. The same year she exhibited her work in a black and white show at Anthony Hordern and Sons' Fine Art Gallery with such artists as Norman Lindsay, Percy Leason, and David Low.
In 1926 she was illustrating short stories for The Australian Women's Mirror and the Sydney Mail. Her illustrations also featured in The Bulletin. In 1929 she edited a book The Etched Work of Sydney Long which included a sketch of hers of the artist. They were both associated with the Australian Painters-Etchers Society. Paul wrote the introduction for the Society's publication The Charm of the Etching.
From 1931 to 1934 Paul wrote a feature section for The Australian Women's Mirror. She started with the technique for linocuts and also wrote on pattern printing, embroidery, crafting cuddle toys, making evening gloves, and even a frog pyjama case for children. These crafts and designs were featured in The Sun and The Mercury. She wrote and illustrated the stories Portrait of a Dark Girl and In Search of a Grandmother.
She married fellow artist Oswald "Mick" Paul in 1925, His portrait of her was a finalist for the 1929 Archibald Prize.
Paul has works in the collections of the National Library of Australia, the National Gallery of Australia, the State Library of New South Wales, and a bookplate of Sydney Long in the National Library of New Zealand.
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Important facts
People in Dorothy Ellsmore Paul's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Dorothy Ellsmore Paul's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Dorothy Ellsmore Paul?
Australian illustrator and cartoonist
When was Dorothy Ellsmore Paul born?
Dorothy Ellsmore Paul was born in 1900 in Hertford.
When did Dorothy Ellsmore Paul die?
Dorothy Ellsmore Paul died in 1974.
What was Dorothy Ellsmore Paul's occupation?
Dorothy Ellsmore Paul was an illustrator and cartoonist.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Dorothy Ellsmore Paul
· DBpedia: Dorothy Ellsmore Paul
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Dorothy Ellsmore Paul. https://biography.guide/dorothy-ellsmore-paul/
MLA: "Dorothy Ellsmore Paul." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/dorothy-ellsmore-paul/.
Chicago: "Dorothy Ellsmore Paul." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/dorothy-ellsmore-paul/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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