THE ELUSIVE ELIZA HUNTER BLAIR
We know tantalizingly little about Eliza Hunter Blair as a person but our researches will continue in a determined effort to discover more about a gifted woman who cared passionately about her art.
Born Anne Elizabeth Norris (as yet we know not where or when) she was married to Lieut. Col. Thomas Hunter Blair on the 13th July, 1820 in Bombay. Married to a man who retired from the army in 1831 and died in 1849 with the rank of Major-General, Eliza died on the 22nd August 1858 having survived her husband by two days short of nine years. They lie side by side in Greyfriar’s Churchyard, Edinburgh.
The total of 34 works on show here represent less than a third of a collection held in the family archive amounting to over 120 pictures drawn or painted by Eliza, the name by which she was known within the family. It is hope to put on show at a later date more examples of the drawings she made during her extensive travels in Europe and India.
Although we are fortunate to have such a representative collection of Eliza’s work we must nevertheless wonder how many other examples of her extraordinary talent have been lost or gifted away over the years. In this regard the following letter tells us that one example, of which we do not as yet have a copy, is owned by the Royal Family;
Buckingham Palace
May 2nd 1843
My Dear Lord,
I have laid before The Prince Mrs. Hunter Blair’s note and the beautiful drawing which accompanied it of ‘The Temple of Sommantis’.
The Prince begs you will have the goodness to inform Mrs. Hunter Blair that Her Majesty has received this interesting present with much pleasure, and begs to thank her for sending it.
Believe me
My Dear Lord
Yours very truly
G. Anson.
Admiral The Lord Colville. G.C.B.
The following diary entry was made by Sir Walter Scott on February 24th, 1829 following one of a number of meetings he must have had with Eliza and it tells us something very interesting about of time and passion which Eliza, who had no children, gave to her art.
Sir Walter Scott wrote:
“I …….. went to breakfast with Mr. Drummond Hay, where we again met Col. and Mrs. Hunter Blair ………… We looked over some beautiful drawings which Mrs. Blair had made in different parts of India ……. Mrs. Blair is full of enthusiasm. She told me that when she worked with her pencil she was glad to have someone to read to her as a sort of sedative otherwise her excitement made her tremble, and burst out a-crying. I can understand this well.”
(From Lockhart’s ‘Life of Scott’)
From a volume of prints held in the castle library we know that some of Eliza’s art was transferred to the printed page in 1839. Some of the prints were made from drawings no longer in the family collection. In an effort to discover if prints of other unknown works by Eliza were made around that time or later the archives of the publisher W.H. Allen & Co. will be sourced using as possible clues the name of those responsible for turning Eliza’s pencil ‘sketches’ into prints, name F. Mackenzie and W. F. Stirling.
It is hope that you will enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the 31 examples of Eliza’s work which form the heart of this exhibition. These pictures have never been made available for public viewing before and the family is proud to present Eliza’s work in such and appropriate setting.
J. Tunnard Jackson, Archivist, Blairquhan. 2007
