Originally from Bray, Co. Wicklow, Lilian Davidson studied at Dublin Metropolitan School of Art where she won prizes in 1895 and 1896. In 1897 she won the RDS Scholarship which carried a free studentship, it didn’t come too soon as that was the year of her father’s death. She began exhibiting at the RHA in 1914 and did so regularly until her death. When in Dublin she taught painting privately in her studio and at schools around the county. Although not in very buoyant financial circumstances
she travelled extensively and did so for most of her life. She painted landscapes in Belgium and Switzerland, besides various parts of Ireland.
She first exhibited at the Watercolour Society in 1912, and did so until 1954. She became a committee member in 1934. She also exhibited regularly with the Dublin Painters Society (1939-54) and the Munster Fine Art Club, and was part of an interesting circle, being friendly with Jack Yeats whom she painted and the circle around the Gate theatre for which she wrote plays under the pseudonym of Ulick Burke, her most famous play 'Bride' was directed in the Gate by Hilton Edwards, with sets designed by Michael McLiammoir. She was certainly aware of the works of Honore Daumier and Jean Francois Millet and used the same proto type of humanity for important works depicting the Irish Peasant. Lillian Davidson portrayed the Claddagh, the Irish-speaking district of Galway, at a time when she was involved with the Torch Theatre for whom she was writing a play.
Her portraits of Jack B. Yeats and Sarah Purser can be found in the National Gallery of Ireland, and other works including a self portrait 'The Golden Shawl' are in the Hugh Lane, Abbey Theatre and Ulster Museum Collections.
A number of works by Lilian Davidson featured in:
'Irish Women Artists: 1870-1970' exhibition (2014). Please click here for a link to the catalogue.
'A celebration of Irish Art and Modernism' exhibition (2011). Please click here for a link to the catalogue.
'Ireland: Her People and Landscape' exhibition (2012). Please click here for a link to the catalogue.
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