On the 14th of February 1890, Welsh artist, writer and bohemian party girl Nina Hamnett was born in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Her emerging artistic skill helped her escape an unhappy childhood. She moved to London where she studied at Pelham Art School, then the London School of Art and in 1914 she went to Montparnasse, Paris, to study at Marie Wassilieff’s Academy. Her social life and artistic career rapidly took off.
“A natural rebel, with her tall, boyish figure, short hair, unconventional clothes, and flamboyant behaviour, Hamnett rapidly became a well-known bohemian personality. A self-appointed artistic ambassador between London and Paris, friends and mentors included Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, Amedeo Modigliani, Walter Sickert, Roger Fry, and Augustus John. She benefited from her first-hand knowledge of the avant-garde in both cities to develop her own individual style and she made a significant contribution to the modern movement in London from about…
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15 comments
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February 14, 2018 at 14:59
Peter Wells aka Countingducks
Fascinating. I love these biographies about artistic figures and think, especially as I get older, how very brave they were and are!
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February 14, 2018 at 16:42
First Night Design
Ditto!
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February 14, 2018 at 15:37
beetleypete
What a life indeed! She certainly knew how to live hard and fast. I can imagine that she would have been both fascinating and irritating, in turn.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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February 14, 2018 at 16:43
First Night Design
I always rather wanted to live a hard and fast life but wasn’t really cut out for it!
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February 14, 2018 at 16:56
beetleypete
Same here! 🙂 x
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February 14, 2018 at 15:40
Mary Smith
What a sad and unpleasant end to such a full of life person. A fascinating character.
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February 14, 2018 at 16:44
First Night Design
Sad but the kind of character I’d love to have been. Perhaps I’m a reincarnation and thus paying for it now!
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February 14, 2018 at 16:54
Mary Smith
Well, please keep away from any forty-foot high windows!
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February 14, 2018 at 17:20
Teagan R. Geneviene
Delightful, Sarah. Happy Valentine’s Day!
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February 14, 2018 at 18:57
First Night Design
Thanks, Teagan. I knew she’d be up your street too!
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February 14, 2018 at 19:02
Teagan R. Geneviene
You bet! 😀
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February 16, 2018 at 03:16
Widdershins
What an unpleasant way to die … although, I suspect none of them are exactly ‘pleasant’.
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February 16, 2018 at 12:02
First Night Design
Haha!
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February 16, 2018 at 23:09
Silver Screenings
I just spent the last 20 minutes looking at photos of Nina Hamnett and her art. Truly fascinating – I quite like her artistic style. Also, her memoirs sound fascinating. Thanks for the introduction, dah-ling!
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February 16, 2018 at 23:17
First Night Design
A pleasure, dah-ling!
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