Mary Moser: The Equity of Flowers

“A piece of flowers, which seem to want nothing but the smell to realize it”

Mary Moser, married name: Lloyd (1744-1819) was a prominent female artist in 18^th c Britain.

Alongside her peer Angelica Kauffman was one of only two female artists to become founders of the Royal Academy in 1768.  Not only a feat in their time but held a position that was not achieved again by another woman until the 20^th century. Mary’s support as an artist came from her father, George Moser, a successful Swiss painter, who trained her (Bluett). Although not as often mentioned as her peer Kauffman in accomplishments, she impressed critics and royalty with her exquisite flower paintings.

A critic of her 1775 A Piece of Flowers boasted “A piece of flowers, which seem to want nothing but the smell to realize it” (Spies-Gans, Burney Collection). Her paintings, whether in watercolor or oil, boast realistic flowers that eternally remain fresh and impressive even to contemporary eyes.

After Queen Charlotte acquired the Windsor Frogmore House in 1792, she commissioned Moser to decorate it with her signature floral motifs. Now fondly named the Mary Moser room, her flowers bloom across the wall and ceilings like a trellised garden.

Example on the official royal website: https://www.royal.uk/houses-frogmore

Moser excelled in portraiture as well but was deeply criticized for her work. This negativity to her subject matter outside of floral may have been more out of the limitations put on female artists at the time than her apparent skill. In an Academy that would not allow women to attend figure drawing classes; an interest in the human figure by women artists was considered appalling (Spies-Gans, Simpkiss).

Moser even at an early age won recognition for her floral subjects with her submission to the Society of Arts in 1758. But the themes submitted by the young ladies were limited to flowers, birds, insects, and landscapes: the decorative arts. As the category was intended for young ladies, it was named ‘The Polite Arts’, as they were not allowed to enter the Fine Arts category (Giardinetti).

Mary Moser’s floral pieces are a testament to her skill yet an appropriation of her limits, remaining an example of a female artist able to succeed despite them. Her flowers, a subject perhaps feminine, but not without power to demonstrate abilities of worthy of equal praise as a master artist.

References

Bluett, A. (2021, March 2). Mary Moser and Angelica Kauffman: The RA’s founding women: Exhibition: Royal Academy of Arts. Article | Royal Academy of Arts. https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/mary-moser-and-angelica-kauffman

Giardinetti, M. (2018, October 2). Women artists and Design Drawings in Eighteenth-Century London • V&A blog. V&A Blog. https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/projects/female-artists-in-the-eighteenth-century-and-their-design-drawings

Simpkiss, J. (2022, March). Outgrowing: Female Artists and Flowers. Athena Art Foundation. https://www.athenaartfoundation.org/read/outgrowing-female-artists-and-flowers

Spies-Gans, P. A. (2019, November 6). Mary Moser: Portraitist. Journal18. https://www.journal18.org/issue8/mary-moser-portraitist

Photos

Moser, Mary Bouquet of Flowers. Watercolor,etc. 1780. Photo ©The Courtauld. (Samuel Courtauld Trust) The Courtauld, London.  https://gallerycollections.courtauld.ac.uk/object-d-1952-rw-4446

Moser, Mary. Flowers, Still Life (Jardiniere of Flowers). Oil on canvas. Ca. 1780. accession number 64.92.5. Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn. https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/84150

Romney, George. Mary Moser. Oil on canvas, circa 1770-1771. NPG 6641© National Portrait Gallery, London. https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw69339/Mary-Moser?LinkID=mp64834&role=sit&rNo=0&_gl=1*1wuxbw1*_up*MQ..*_ga*MjYzNTk4NjEyLjE3MjQ3ODUxOTY.*_ga_3D53N72CHJ*MTcyNDc4NTE5NS4xLjAuMTcyNDc4NTE5NS4wLjAuMA..