Lucy Dawson

(British, 1867-1954)

Poodles, a pair

Footnotes

The present works possibly depict one of the Mannerhead Kennel Poodles owned by Mrs M. Campbell Inglis of Wimbledon, who were always shown with bows on their heads.

Lucy Dawson was educated privately and studied life drawing at art school. She did not commence serious work until around 1917, whilst living in Clifton Bristol. In the middle of the 1920s she was living in London, after the death of her husband.

It was in London when Dawson started to visit the 'dog shop' in Knightsbridge run as part of the Croglin kennels, by Alec and Mab Wilson. Travels to dog shows began and commissions flowed. She was popular with the dog breeders and learnt very quickly to select the best dogs. Such show standards and well-known dogs of the breed were used as the basis for her commercial commissions. It is these for which she will be most remembered.

Working for Valantine & Sons Ltd., Dawson produced something totalling 250 postcards (some reproduced today). Her work further appeared in books and magazines in England and America, and in a number of dry point etchings.
When approached for postcard illustrating, she was not keen, and compromised using a 'nome-de-plume' in the name of 'Mac'.

By the late 1930s Dawson had a substantial collection of drawings, which enabled her to publish her better-known books. Some titles which were particularly popular included, Dogs as I See Them, Dogs rough and smooth, Neighbours, and Lucy Dawson's Dog Book. The majority of this work was produced in a mixture of pastels, charcoal, and pencil, with oils being very rare.