Helena Beatson

Helena Beatson (1762–1839), also known as Lady Helena Oakeley, was an amateur pastellist from Scotland.

Early life

Born in Kilrie, Fife, Helena Beatson was the daughter of writer Robert Beatson and niece of artist Catherine Read, who produced several portraits of her in addition to being her teacher. A child prodigy, she submitted, anonymously, a set of "sketches by a child of eight years old" to the Society of Artists in 1771; they were singled out for praise by Horace Walpole. Two drawings of gypsies and dancers were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1774, in which year Fanny Burney visited her and her aunt and pronounced the child "a most astonishing genius, though never taught...a very wonderful girl". including Charles, the eldest, who inherited his father's title, and Frederick Oakeley, the youngest, who became a Catholic priest and author. She taught Frederick writing, geography, French, and drawing, and travelled with him for his health. After getting married, she only occasionally dabbled in art, painting at least one watercolour portrait of three of her children, and their Indian carers, while in India.

Her husband's tenure as governor of Madras ended in 1794, and they returned to England. He died in 1826, her eldest son died in 1829, and Lady Oakeley died in 1839, at the age of 76, at Lichfield Palace. The National Gallery of Ireland has a portrait sketch of Oakeley, made by John Smart.