Margaret Clarke (artist)
| Margaret Clarke | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Margaret Crilley 1 August 1884 Newry, Northern Ireland |
| Died | 31 October 1961 (aged 77) Dublin, Ireland |
| Resting place | Redford Cemetery, Greystones, County Wicklow |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Alma mater | Dublin Metropolitan School of Art |
| Known for | portrait painting |
| Spouse(s) | Harry Clarke |
| Elected | RHA |
Margaret Clarke RHA (29 July 1888 – 31 October 1961) (née Crilley) was an Irish portrait painter.
Margaret Crilley was born in Newry, County Down on 1 August 1884, one of six children of Patrick Crilley. Her date of birth is often given as 29 July 1888, though local records do not support this. Having initially trained at Newry technical school with her sister Mary intending to become a teacher, in 1905 Margaret won a scholarship to attend the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art. There she studied under William Orpen, who regarded her as one of his most promising students. She completed her studies in 1911 attaining an Art Teacher's Certificate, and began working as Orpen's assistant.
In 1914, Margaret married her fellow student Harry Clarke, much to the surprise of their family and acquaintances. The couple moved into a flat at 33 North Frederick Street. They had three children, Michael, David and Ann. Harry's brother, Walter married Margaret's sister Mary in 1915. Clarke became the director of the Harry Clarke Stained Glass Studios following the death of her husband in 1931. Clarke died in Dublin 31 October 1961, and is buried in the Redford cemetery, Greystones, Co. Wicklow. She is commemorated with a blue plaque at her birthplace in Newry.
Clarke first exhibited with the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1913, and would go on to exhibit over 60 artworks in the forty years until 1953, the majority being portraits. Amongst the portrait commissions Clarke received were ones for Dermod O'Brien, President Éamon de Valera, Archbishop McQuaid, and Lennox Robinson. Clarke spent a great deal of time on the Aran Islands with fellow artist Seán Keating and her husband, from which she produced a number of landscapes and smaller studies.
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