Honor Charlotte Appleton

 

Honor Charlotte Appleton (1879-1951).

Honor Appleton represented childhood innocence without resorting to sentimentality, most notably in her illustrations to Mrs Cradock's 'Josephine' stories. these are, for the most part, an exquisitely naturalistic depiction of a young girl's life, with occasional, but increasing suggestions that her dolls are also alive.

Honor Appleton was born at 30 St Michael's Place, Brighton, Sussex, on 4 February 1879, the third of four children of the Rev John Appleton and his wife, Georgina (née Wilkie). By 1891, her father had died, and she had moved with her mother and siblings to London, and had settled at 41 Edith Road, Fulham, London. Having shown a talent for art from an early age, she studied at the National Art Training School, South Kensington, and then at Frank Calderon's School of Animal Painting, at 54 Baker Street, where she gained a scholarship. This was followed by a brief period in the studio of Sir Arthur Cope RA.

In January 1901, Appleton enrolled at the Royal Academy Schools, at the same time as her elder sister, Alice.