Berthe des Clayes

Berthe des Clayes, a talented painter born in Aberdeen in eighteen seventy-seven, made significant contributions to the art world in both England and Canada. She honed her skills at the Bushey School of Art under the guidance of H. Herkomer and furthered her education at the prestigious Académie Julian in Paris, studying with renowned artists Tony Robert-Fleury and Jules Lefebvre.

From nineteen hundred six to nineteen hundred twelve, des Clayes resided in London before emigrating to Montreal in nineteen hundred twelve, where she lived until nineteen hundred nineteen. In nineteen twenty, she returned to England, settling in Chorleywood, and later spent two decades in Montreal from nineteen thirty-one to nineteen fifty-one. By nineteen sixty-seven, she was living in Devon, England, where she passed away the following year.

Des Clayes was a versatile artist, working in oil, watercolour, and pastel. Her artistic achievements include winning the Jessie Dow Prize twice and illustrating notable books such as 'Here and There in Montreal' and 'Acadia' by the Dominion Atlantic Railway. She actively exhibited her work with the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts from nineteen hundred twelve to nineteen hundred forty-seven.

Artistry ran in the family, as her younger sisters, Alice and Gertrude, were also accomplished artists. Today, her works are part of esteemed collections, including the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Art Gallery of Ontario, among others.