Ernestine Mills

Hastings, England, 1871 - 1959

Keywords

Female

About MeThe artist-enameller Ernestine Mills (1871-1959) trained under the enamelling revivalist Alexander Fisher at the South Kensington School of Art in the 1890s where she specialised in the complex practice of enamelling on metals. She is known for mastering every technique; champleve, basse-taille, cloisonné, grisaille and plique a jour.

Citing this record (below)
'Mrs Ernestine Mills', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib1_1203677013, accessed 05 Jan 2012]
Mrs Ernestine Mills
Other names: nee Bell

Born 1871
Died 6 February 1959

Active: 1900 - 1952

Country of birth and death: England

Sculptor, art metal worker, enamellist, jeweller

Born at Hastings, Kent. Died in London. She studied at the Slade, Finsbury Central Technical School and South Kensington School of Art. She served as an apprentice to the pre-Raphaelite painter, Frederic Shields (1833-1911). In 1907 she joined the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and by July 1909 was also a member of the Fabian Women's Group. Although not a member of the artists' suffragette societies, she made various works for the cause, including possibly some enamel badges as well as making works to be sold on behalf of the WSPU. In 1950 she was commissioned to make a plaque for the Suffragette Fellowship to commemorate the Brackenbury sisters (Museum of London).

Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
New entries have been made each time a work was exhibited. Click here for more information.

The end of the War God
1949 (Presumed)

Locations
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Address 21 St. Mary Abbott's Terrace Kensington London | View on map
1900 (Circa) - 1948 (Circa)

Address 57 Addison Road London | View on map
1949
The artist was recorded working/living at this address in 1949.

Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events

Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1900 - 1952
Exhibited 6 times (3 times between 1900-1909 and 3 times between 1931-1952), she showed one work in each exhibition, all enamel on copper.

Exhibited at Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Autumn Exhibition, 1921
1921
Exhibited Arcadia (enamel on silver, silver frame), p. 24 (Case 1, 11); and Casket, p. 25 (Case 2, 19). The artist was living in London.

Exhibited at Art Exhibitions of the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales. Competitive Exhibits at the Patti Pavilion, 1926
26 July 1926 - 12 August 1926
Exhibited in Competition No.31, Exhibit Nos. 995 and 996

Exhibited at Royal Cambrian Academy of Art Sixty-Seventh Annual Exhibition, 1949
28 May 1949 - 8 October 1949

Personal and Professional Connections

Student of Alexander Fisher
Whilst at South Kensington School of Art (according to Elizabeth Crawford, p. 415)
Sources

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Royal Academy Exhibitors 1905-70: A Dictionary of Artists and their Work in the Summer Exhibitions of the Royal Academy of Arts Vol. V LAWR-SHER
1981
p. 159

Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Autumn Exhibition, 1921
1921
pp. 24-25.

Royal Cambrian Academy of Art Sixty-Seventh Annual Exhibition
1949

The Royal Academy of Arts: a complete dictionary of contributors and their work from its foundation in 1769 to 1904. Vol. 5: Lawrence to Nye
1906
p. 257

The Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales. Catalogue of the Competitive Art Exhibition 1926
1926

The women's suffrage movement: a reference guide, 1866-1928
2001
pp. 415-6

Mills was a dedicated suffragette who produced artwork for the Women's Social and Political Union. Although her work is distinctively romantic she chose female saints and deities as role models for their strength and leadership. Similarly her choice of colours are recognisable as those adopted by the Suffragettes to demonstrate their political ideals.