Lilias Trotter: Art and missions
17 May 2007 10 Comments
For Christmas I was given a biography of Lilias Trotter called A Passion for the Impossible. I had high hopes for this book after learning of Trotter about four years back. She was pegged by John Ruskin to be the next big name in art during the late 1800s. Ruskin, a significant art critic at the time, tutored the upper-middle class Lilias personally.
However, the next big name in art was pulled in a different direction. She was pulled into missionary-work. After being told her health was too frail to go overseas, she personally financed her own service in Libya. She did continue to draw, illustrating diaries during her time in north Africa and while on respite in the Alps.
Unfortunately, I don’t know what more to say. I’ve been disappointed in the book, in part because it hasn’t focused on her drawing as much as I’d like and in part because the writing is a bit dry. Admittedly, I’m pretty particular when it comes to writing style. If I don’t like the tone of a book I usually don’t get through it.
It’s an important story and I’m glad it’s being told. Her sacrifice is notable and the pioneering work she did important in the realm of missions. But I’m disappointed at how little — in fact, next to none — her art is pictured. I hope the next Trotter book is a picture book, detailing her drawings and illustrations.
As an academic excercise, I’ll probably finish the book. Sometime. Maybe this winter.
Hey I just ordered these from Kingsley Press. They feature examples of Trotter’s artwork as well as her devotionalwiritng.
Product ID: TB02
Product Name: Parables of the Christ Life by Lilias Trotter
Quantity: 1
Unit Price: $7.95
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Product ID: TB01
Product Name: Parables of the Cross by Lilias Trotter
Quantity: 1
Unit Price: $7.95
In your list of art books please consider listing `like a house on fire’ and `crying for a vision’ by Steve Scott. I wdnt be recommending but I’ve gotten feedback from all over the WORLD over the last fifteen years concerning the value of these titles.Theyre BOTH back in print and orderable from Amazon.
Thanks for tagging the lausanne paper. I was a participant contributor.
Re: `the mission of the artist’…this begins with a reconsideration of all that is meant by `mission’ and I heartily recommend Chris Wright’s book `The Mission of God’ as a step towards answering that Q.
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I am very disappointed in the book “A Passion for the Impossible”
The author seems to give only a travelogue–a listing of places Trotter went, seldom pausing to bring any human interest anecdotes of which there must have been MANY–Very disappoionting.
ISarahSue
Glad to know I’m not alone in my assessment. Thanks for your comment Sarah.
Miriam Huffman Rockness (author of the Lilias Trotter biography) has recently released A Blossom in the Desert which includes much more of Miss Trotter’s art work (plus some of her writings). I think you’d enjoy it.
As Steve mentioned above you can find several titles by and about Lilias Trotter at Kingsley Press. You can get quantity discounts on Parables of the Cross and Parables of the Christ Life.
Is there any where to go to purchase Lilias Trotter’s art work?
As in actual paintings, or mere prints? I don’t know of either place actually, although a few years ago one of her paintings did come up for auction somewheres. I mentioned the auction on the blog here at some point.
Does anybody know how to pronounce Lilias’ name? Is the first “i” long or short?
Does anyone happen to have email files of some of the prints?