Lady Butler: War Artist and Traveller

Join historian Dr Catherine Wynne for an engaging talk on the life and career of Elizabeth Thompson Butler.

Elizabeth Thompson Butler (1846-1933) developed an innovative approach to war art, focusing on the experience and story of the individual soldier. She gained immediate fame in 1874 when her painting 'The Roll Call' was exhibited at the Royal Academy. A favourite of Queen Victoria, she quickly became one of the most celebrated women of her time.

In 1877, Elizabeth married William Butler, an officer in the British Army, which allowed her to travel to military postings across the globe. In addition to capturing contemporary campaigns, she revisited themes from the Napoleonic and Crimean Wars. Among her most notable works are 'Dawn of Waterloo' (1895) and 'The Defence of Rorke’s Drift' (1880).

About the speaker

Dr Catherine Wynne is a Reader in Victorian and Early 20th-Century Literature and Visual Cultures at the University of Hull. She specialises in war art, colonialism and empire. She wrote the first biography of Lady Butler, 'Lady Butler: War Artist and Traveller, 1846-1933'.