Penelope Boothby

[poliphilo]

Ashbourne again.

This is the tomb of Penelope Boothby, who died in 1791, aged 6. Her father, Sir Brooke Boothby, was a significant figure in the history of the Enlightenment- the first publisher of Rousseau's Confessions and a colleague of Erasmus Darwin's. He idolised his daughter, raised her according to Rousseau's principles and was utterly devastated by her death. 

Penelope was painted by Reynolds and (posthumously) by Fuseli. The effigy on her tomb is by Thomas Banks. 

"She was in form and intellect most exquisite. The unfortunate Parents ventured their all on the frail Bark. And the wreck was total"

Comments

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

Isn't this a beautiful piece? Setting aside the tragedy, of course. I like the sunbeam you've captured as it strikes the tomb behind. It's a nice warm contrast to all that ghostly white in the foreground.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

The sunbeam is one of those "happy accidents".

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is so sad... :(

The little girl has been depicted so naturally, compared to the stiff and formal tombs in the background.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It demonstrates how attitudes to childhood were changing in the late 18th century. The child is no longer an adjunct of her parents or a miniature adult in need of training, but a valued person in her own right.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Nice effigies!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Ashbourne has a wonderful collection.

I do love a good effigy!

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Yep, a good effigy is hard to beat!!

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Oh my but that's beautiful and sad...both the tomb and the story.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes,

I've spent much of today looking at 18th century pictures of children. The 18th century was when children became people in their own right.

[sovay]

The effigy on her tomb is by Thomas Banks.

Everyone else stiff as prayer and her sleeping. That's very striking.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The 18th century was when everything changed...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's beautiful.

And in its day it was a radical statement. It said that a girl of six was a person who mattered. People hadn't really thought that way before.

[chochiyo-sama.livejournal.com]

It is indeed a sad story--but what a beautiful and loving tribute to the small girl...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Groundbreaking too. I doubt if there had ever been a monument to a child quite like this before.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Wonderful image of a poignant subject.