Janet Simpson & Dorothea Milde

Janet Simpson

(c. 1874 - after 1964)

British drawing and graphic artist.

Dorothea Milde

(1887-1964)

German drawing teacher and graphic artist.

To be clear: these two artists, and their life’s, have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Except I met their acquaintance about the same time, I mentioned them both in the Blog just once and I just happened to see some similarities in their art and life’s. As editor, owner, inspirator and writer of this Blog I decided a combined posting would be a nice undertaking.

Berwick upon River Tweed around 1910

Blog reader Bob Reeves recently stumbled over my youthfull posting on Janet Simpson after investigating this Berwick Bridge etching (left) on his wall. Bob as a “bakers boy” in the ‘60’s  delivered bread at Janet's house in Brenchley's Crooke Lane and has kind memories of her as an old lady occasionally inviting him in for tea and a chat. He was given 8 postcards with her work and this original signed for the occasion etching of the Bridge at Berwick on Tweed in 1964 the year Dorothea Milde passed away. (Above left)

Mid-Crooke cottage  in Brenchley

Dorothea's house in Quedlingburg

Both Janet and Dorothea (probably about the same age) lived their life’s very modestly and unobtrusively in rural and historical  surroundings. Both never were to become real “great or famous” artists. 


And both excelled in the art of drawing. Both were well trained artists, Dorothea at Breslau Kunstakademie and  Janet at Lambeth School of Art and the Royal College of Art.

Brenchley

Both didn't travel extensively and made the local scenery to the subject of their art. From both I have only seen one coloured work. 

Münzenberg

Both had to make a living out of their training, skill, art and craft. Dorothea also  teacher at drawing in historical Quedlinburg Girls School. Both had their works edited and distributed as postcards.

Blenchley Highstreet, watercolor
thanks to David Herbert.

Historical Brenchley, Kent

The old Workhouse, Brenchley

Historical Quedlinburg, Harz.

The stairs to the school in historical Münzenberg

Historical Edinburgh by Janet Simspon
thanks to David Herbert

Both becoming obscured and forgotten. Dorothea ended her life in poverty, breeding dogs at no great success. I don’t know about Janet.


Thanks to readers and fellow Bloggers:
Archimandrill (see comments) some more is now known about Janet. In 1901 Janet and her father David Goudie Simpson (b. 1839, an astonomer) and sister Mary Goudy Simpson (b. 1869, and also a painter) in 1901 lived in Camberwell, Denmark Hill, London.


and David herbert sending me the two extra examples within a days after publishing.