Self-Taught Artist – A Poem

For women, professional art school was out of the reach until relatively recently. Painting and drawing, however, were considered basic accomplishments for the well-bred Victorian lady. If you had the money you took lessons or engaged a teacher. For a glimpse into that world, there’s a discussion of Louis Lang’s Art Students ca. 1871 here. And another discussion on art schools and women here.

If you didn’t have a teacher, or if you did, magazines of the late 1800s also offered tips. For example, here is author Crona Temple’s 1882 article about how she taught herself to paint.¹

“My “pictures” [of wild moors and bare hills] ended in vexation and sorrow. My eyes were more educated than my fingers; I could see my grievous failure … But one day I was arranging a handful of bog-flowers in a glass saucer with some moss … their graceful, slender flower-stems sprang from the centre in curves … I could not help trying to paint them, there and then.

I have that little drawing now. It is merely a childish scrawl; there is hardness in the hue of the blossoms, and a certain muddiness in the colouring of the leaves, but, in spite of all its faults, it has a truthfulness about it which is very pleasant to see.

Believe me [teaching yourself to paint] is not so difficult as idleness and want of courage may whisper to us.”

-Crona Temple ²

There’s no artist’s name attached to this still life, which falls under the category of folk art. Folk art exists outside academic practice and is often self-taught. I don’t think I’m drawing too long a bow when I imagine this still life was painted by a self-taught woman.

The form is a triolet. More of my ekphrastic poetry here.

Self-Taught Artist

You bring home a treasure for your mother –
unsure. She assures you. “Don’t be!” Afraid
plain folk fruit is ignorance uncovered.
You bring home a treasure for your mother.
“Superb,” she says. Yet, you try another
perspective, more fruit, your courage mislaid.
You bring home a treasure for your mother –
unsure. She assures you. “Don’t be afraid.”

©elsp 2026

1. Crona Temple, “How I Taught Myself to Paint”. Girls’ Own Paper Vol 3 Oct 1881-Sep 1882. www.victorianvoices.net/topics/crafts/drawing.shtml Accessed Jan 2026 ↩︎
2. ibid. ↩︎