A Life Dedicated to Portraiture Mary Lemon Waller, born in the quaint coastal town of Bideford, Devon, in 1851, emerged as a significant figure within the British art scene during the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras. Her journey began amidst the burgeoning artistic opportunities available to women, though navigating this landscape required both talent and determination. The daughter of Reverend Hugh Fowler, she received an early education that fostered her innate creativity, leading her to pursue formal training at an art school in Gloucester. This initial grounding proved pivotal, p…