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Clara Christian

Irish artist Clara Louise Christian McCarthy (1868–June 7, 1906) left behind a legacy of contributions to still lifes, interiors, and landscape painting. She was raised in an artistically creative home and went on to study painting at the esteemed Slade School of Art, where she began her career that would make her a household name in the British art world. At the Church of the Redeemer in Chelsea on January 11, 1905, Clara wed the renowned Dublin City Architect Charles James McCarthy. The pair moved into Wilton Place in Dublin, but sadly, Clara's life was brutally cut short at the age of 38 while giving birth at Tymon Lodge, her home in Tallaght, County Dublin. Clara's career was interconnected with important relationships, chief among them her collaboration with Ethel Walker, whom she had met at the Putney School of Art. Their combined living arrangements and artistic endeavours carried them from Pulborough, Sussex, to Chelsea. A trip to Spain was part of their creative journey, and they stopped in Paris to see George Moore at the New English Art Club. A major influence on Clara's life was the novelist and Impressionist George Moore. In his works, he addressed issues like lesbianism, adultery, and prostitution, reflecting the social climate of the day. Clara, known as "Stella" in Moore's autobiography "Hail and Farewell" (1911–14), was close to him from 1901 until their divorce in 1904. Moore's subsequent writing endeavours were impacted by this relationship, as he found inspiration in Clara's inventive application of painting techniques. Clara found comfort and creative inspiration in her relationship with Ethel Walker, despite their romantic entanglements. Until the end of her life, Walker stayed and worked at one of Clara's homes on Cheyne Walk in London. Their shared interest in creating art was demonstrated by the conversion of Number 38 Cheyne Walk into studios. Clara left for her native Ireland in 1900, and she later dated George Moore in 1901. But when she married Charles McCarthy in 1905, her life's path changed. Her promising life was tragically cut short shortly after giving birth. Clara left a lasting legacy in the art world when she gave the Hugh Lane's gallery a moving painting called "Meditations" prior to her tragic death. The life of Clara Christian McCarthy, distinguished by her sophisticated personal relationships and artistic prowess, is still a fascinating tale in the annals of art history.

References & Hyperlinks

http://www.elisarolle.com/queerplaces/ch-d-e/Clara%20Christian.html

https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/32007143/model-arts-and-niland-gallery-the-mall-rathquarter-sligo-co-sligo

https://www.artbiogs.co.uk/1/artists/christian-clara-l

https://catalogue.nli.ie/Collection/vtls000639322/HierarchyTree?recordID=vtls000639322