Letitia Bushe

Letitia Bushe (1705/1710 – 17 November 1757) was an Irish watercolourist and miniaturist.

Life Letitia Bushe was born around 1705 or 1710 in Dangan, County Kilkenny. She was the daughter of Arthur Bushe, a secretary to the commissioners of revenue, and Mary (née Forth). Though Bushe is considered a talented artist there is no evidence of her receiving any training, though it is thought Bernard Lens or one of his sons may have given her lessons. She may have been largely self-taught as her style remained naive throughout her career. Bushe was continuously in demand as a lady's companion due to her conversational skills, which leading to her teach painting to many women and their children. When she was not acting as a companion she had rooms in Dawson Street. Bushe died on 17 November 1757 in those rooms.

Friendship with Mary Delany Bushe was a friend of Mary Delany from 1731. Bush and Delany remained very good friends, with Delany referring to Bushe drawing landscapes, and cleaning painting at Delany's home Delville House. Bushe and Delany embarked on a number of artist projects together.

Artistic work One of Bushe's pieces which is in the National Gallery of Ireland, A view of Bray (1736), shows her skill as a topographical artist and her humour, as she includes herself in the painting with an accompanying dog. During a visit to England in 1743, she painted a View of London which is taken from Hampstead Heath, as well as views of Bath and Bristol. In Ireland, Bushe painted studies of country houses, including their gardens. She also made antiquarian drawings for Bishop Robert Clayton, a friend of Delany.