Elizabeth Thompson, Lady Butler: War artist | The Britain that Women Made | BBC Teach

Historian Amanda Vickery explains that only a few women in the 18th and 19th centuries were accepted as artists. The Female School of Design was set up in the middle of the 19th Century to train female artists - a breakthrough after centuries of women not being taken seriously - but after six years the school was moved to the Strand, a rougher area well known for prostitution and crime, reflecting just how little female artists were valued. Lady Elizabeth Butler (1846-1933) became the most successful war artist of her time despite war being seen as the most masculine of subjects. Sketches made when Elizabeth was just 14 show she was already interested in soldiers and cavalry charges. In 1874, Lady Butler submitted a painting called "Calling the Roll after an Engagement in the Crimea" to the Royal Academy. It was exhibited to enormous popularity and eventually bought by Queen Victoria. The painting is unusual because it shows, not heroism and battle, but the strain on injured soldiers as they re-group. Lady Butler organised scenes to be re-enacted because she could not visit the battlefield herself. Before painting "Scotland Forever" (1881), she saw a cavalry charge twice. This clip is from the series The Britain That Women Made. Suitable for teaching Art and Design and History at Key Stage 3 and Third Level. For BBC Teach website: https://www.bbc.com/teach For free in depth teachers notes, follow the links via the cards. For more teaching resources, subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/bbcteach?sub_... Get in touch on: TWITTER: https://twitter.com/bbc_teach FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BBCTeach/ ===================== Teaching Art & Design at KS3/3rd Level? Follow this link for Teacher Notes: https://www.bbc.com/teach/class-clips-video/art-and-design-ks3-war-artist-lady-elizabeth-butler/zm6qxyc ===================== More resources from BBC Bitesize: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize #internationalwomensday