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Francesca Alexander 1837-1917 is in Painters.
On 27th February 1837 Francesca Alexander was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
In 1853 Francesca Alexander (age 15) and her prosperous family moved to Europe and settled at length in Florence. She was educated at home, and her extremely protective mother closely guided her studies and activities throughout her life.
In 1882 Francesca Alexander (age 44) met John Ruskin (age 62), who was deeply impressed by her compilation of Tuscan songs. Ruskin purchased the manuscript that she had entitled Roadside Songs of Tuscany and had illustrated with drawings done in a fine and highly personal style. He also bought a second manuscript and published it in 1883 as The Story of Ida, attributing it to “Francesca.”
Detail from 'Letter from Florence' in Roman News: A Weekly Review of Politics, Archaeology, Fine Arts, Literature and Society, 28th March 1883.
The lady referred to, is a Bostonian, Miss Alexander (age 46), for many years a resident, and who for well nigh four years has been at work on what, we verily believe, will carry her name down to a distant posterity. It consists of an album, of large size, containing all the Stornelli and the Rispetti, or love ditties, which Miss Alexander has with great and patient perseverance, gathered both from old song books, and from the contadini themselves, they singing the melodies and repeating the words of songs fast being forgotten even by the old, and she rapidly noting them down. These are all most feelingly illustrated, and in an entirely original manner such lovely Madonnas and Bambinis, such sweet interiors of the paesani, countenances expressing such stern rebuke and sweet approvals and all surrounded by the many Tuscan wild flowers only noticed and gathered by a true lover of nature. The entire work is done in pen and ink, and though not yet completed, Mr. Ruskin bas already bought it, at the price of six hundred Guineas for his Sheflield Museum.
1885-1887. Letter from Francesca Alexander (age 47) to John Ruskin (age 65):
Some things in your letter trouble me: you seem dissatisfied with Joanie, and . . I hope I am wrong, but I keep thinking about that miserable time two years ago, when there came about a separation between you, and you suffered more than ever, since I have know you, (as you told me afterwards yourself) and she fell dangerously ill, and as for me . . Well, I don't like to think about it! The end of it was, that it half killed you both; and, if you knew the terror that comes over me at the thought of any difference between you and her, you would have patience with whatever I say! You don't explain what the trouble is, and I ask no questions. You speak as if she worried you . . But do remember that she is worn out now, with her anxiety during your illness, and is probly [sic] weak and nervous, and worried all the time for fear of your hurting yourself in some way. But I dare say it is foolish in me to be so frightened. Only I am so far away, and have suffered much for my fiends, in these last years; and now I am always dreading some harm coming to you, or to her, whom you have taught me to love.
Around April 1885. Letter from Francesca Alexander (age 48) to John Ruskin (age 66):
I must tell you though what some of them said about the Road Side Songs, (which they nearly all saw before it went to you) you may be pleased, now that the book belongs to you, to have the favourable opinion of such distinguished judges as meet in the “brilliant society” of my Sky-parlour. They all seemed principally interested in the pictures of flowers, which brought about a discourse on flowers in general, causing Edwige to remark, what I believe she thinks she has discovered, and what really I don't believe people think so much about as they might . . that each flower has just the leaves that are most becoming to it. Then, taking the Easter flowers on the table for a text, poor gentle Bice, with tears in her eyes, improvised a little sermon, (better than many that I have heard in church) on their variety and wonderful contrivances for beauty, as showing the hand of the Creator. “And only think,” said a Contadina woman, contemptuously, “that now-a-days people try to make out that it is only nature who does it all!” At which Edwige said, yet more contemptuously: “It is all very well; and I hear a good deal about inventions in these times . . but it is my belief that they will wait a good while before anybody makes another invention like those flowers: and if they think it is so easy, they had better try themselves!” Then the Contadina returned to the flowers of the Road side Songs, which she said “Seemed to have all the colours of the real ones, and yet were made of nothing but ink!” And she did not believe I could have done it by myself: probably the angels came and showed me how. And finally Edwige ended the discourse by saying triumphantly: “you will never see any more books born, like that!”
On 21st January 1917 Francesca Alexander (age 79) died of bronchial pneumonia at Florence, Tuscany. She was buried at the Cimitero degli Allori, Florence.