Burrell , Louie , 1873-1971 , nee Luker , artist

Louie Luker (1873-1971) was born in Kensington in London in 1873 to a family of artists. She studied art in Bushey, in Hertfordshire, under Hubert von Herkomer from 1900-1903 but emigrated to South Africa in 1904. There she worked as a painter before marrying Philip Burrell, only returning to Britain in 1908 for the birth of her daughter, Philippa. Her husband died in Durban before being able to join her. In London, she resumed her career as a portraitist and achieved considerable success as a society artist. She was also the General Secretary of Artists' Suffrage League. She became ill in 1912, subsequently recovering during a trip to Canada. Her career in Britain ended abruptly in 1914 when commissions stopped as the First World War began. In the light of this, she travelled to California where she spent the rest of the war and where she found a new audience. She returned to London in 1919 but was unable to find work. Instead she rented out rooms and became a cook until 1923 when she came to the attention of Mrs Stanley who became her patron. She travelled to India in 1928 where she painted members of the ruling classes including the Viceroy, Lord Irwin, and Field Marshall Sir William Birdwood. However, her career ended soon after due to ill health. She died in 1971.