Miss Ellen Mary Rope
Born 14 March 1855
Died 13 September 1934
Active: 1889 - 1932
Sculptor, plaster designer
Born in Blaxhall, near Woodbridge, Suffolk. She was the daughter of George Rope (1814-1912), farmer and corn merchant. Ellen Mary Rope attended the Nottingham Place School in Marylebone from 1870, where she was taught by Octavia Hill, a former pupil of John Ruskin. She then studied at the Ipswich School of Art under William T. Griffiths. In 1876 she began exhibiting paintings and ceramics at the Ipswich Fine Art Club and joined the Slade School of Fine Art in 1877. Here she continued to study painting and drawing until 1880 when she began courses in sculpture and modelling under the tutelage of Alphonse Legros. Rope travelled abroad in the 1880s and on her return began designing for the Della Robbia pottery. She exhibited widely including at the at the Paris Salon (1897–8) and at the Société des Artistes Français (1897–8, 1902).
There are examples of her sculpture in Ipswich Museum, Suffolk, the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, and Leeds City Art Gallery. The Liverpool Museum and the Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead, include examples of Della Robbia ware. She died in Blaxhall.
Wealth at death: £8,904 3s. 11d.
Probate date: 16 January 1935
Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
New entries have been made each time a work was exhibited. Click here for more information.
Three low-relief plaster panels for mantelpiece decoration
Christ Blessing Little Children
'Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini'
'Thou hast revealed it unto Babes'
Christ Blessing Little Children
Benedictus Qui Venis In Nomine Domini
Set of Three Panels: Puck and the Fairies
Benedictus Qui Venis In Nomine Domini
Make a Cheerful Noise Unto the God of Jacob
Kneeling Angels
1899 (Presumed)
Triptych
1899 (Presumed)
Jog on the Footpath Way
1902 (Presumed)
Visit of the Magi
1902 (Presumed)
Locations
Address 54 Upper Marylebone Street London | View on map
1885
Address 10 Fitzroy Street London | View on map
1886 (Circa)
Address Blaxhall Woodbridge | View on map
1889 (Presumed) - 1932 (Presumed)
Address 135 Gower Street London | View on map
1889 (Circa) - 1891 (Circa)
Address 46 Fitzroy Street London W | View on map
1890 (Circa) - 1893 (Circa)
Address Devonshire Mansions 107 Marylebone Road London W | View on map
1895 (Presumed) - 1911 (Circa)
Address 404C Fulham Road London SW10 | View on map
1916 (Presumed) - 1920 (Presumed)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Second Exhibition, 1889
Multiple works
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Sixth Exhibition, 1899
Multiple works
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Ninth Exhibition, 1910
'Fairy Music'
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Eleventh Exhibition, 1916
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Thirty-Seventh Spring Exhibition at the Rooms of the Society, New Street (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists), 1902
'Visit of the Magi'
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1891
Multiple works
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1895
Multiple works
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1898
'A Sea Chariot'
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1896
'Panel'
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1897
Multiple works
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, Arts & Crafts Exhibition, 1900
'Christ Blessing Little Children'
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, Arts & Crafts Exhibition, 1904
Multiple works
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1906
'Charity'
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1907
'Casket'
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1908
'Benedictus Qui Venis In Nomine Domini'
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1909
Multiple works
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Twenty-Third Autumn Exhibition, 1905
Multiple works
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Twenty-Fifth Autumn Exhibition, 1907
Multiple works
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Twenty-Second Autumn Exhibition, 1904
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Arts and Crafts Society of Ireland Second Exhibition, 1899
1899
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1885 - 1918
Exhibited 22 times, one or two works per year.
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the sixteenth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1886
1886
David Playing before Saul (cat. no. 1279, terracotta, £20).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-first (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1891
1891
The Four Elements (cat. no. 1275, panels in plaster, not for sale); Zephyrus (cat. no. 1278, bronze relief, not for sale); Boy on Dolphin (cat. no. 1280, medallion, not for sale).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-second (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1892
1892
Children with Palm Branches (cat. no. 1370, relief in wax, not for sale).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-fifth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1895
1895
Decorative Panel - A Vegetable Telephone (cat. no. 1282, £3 3s.); Child Angel (cat. no. 1291, £3 3s.); The Guardian Angel (cat. no. 1292, £10 10s.); Guardian Angels (cat. no. 1331, plaster relief, not for sale).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-sixth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1896
1896
Boy on Dolphin (cat. no. 1167, £15); The Guardian Angel (cat. no. 1168, Della Robbia ware, £5 5s.); Winter's Tale (cat. no. 1218, Della Robbia Ware, £5 5s.); Procession of Children (cat. no. 1230, £6).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-seventh (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1897
1897
A Guardian Angel (cat. no. 1325, bronze relief, not for sale); A Dream of the Sea (cat. no. 1330, panel, not for sale); Children bringing Lillies to the Holy Child (cat. no. 1332, relief, not for sale).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-eighth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1898
1898
Medallion of the Holy Family (cat. no. 1424, designed by R. M. Rope, produced by the Della Robbia Pottery Company Limited, £18); Medallion - 'The Kingdom of Christ' (cat. no. 1425, not for sale); Altar Piece (cat. no. 1436, designed by Miss E. M. Rope, produced by the Della Robbia Pottery Limited, £50); A Sea Chariot (cat. no. 1481, bronze medallion, £8 8s.); Design for Ornamental Panel (cat. no. 1498, low relief panel, £5 5s.).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the thirty-first (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1901
1901
Mirror Frame (cat. no. 1610, plaster, £5 5s.).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures & sculpture: the thirty-second (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1902
1902
A May Day Symphony (cat. no. 1433, bronzed plaster relief, £20); The Visit of the Magi (cat. no. 1465, plaster relief, £5 5s.); Wave Sprites (cat. no. 1478, plaster relief, £5 5s.).
Institutional and Business Connections
Member of The Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society
1920 - 1932
Worked for Della Robbia Pottery and Marble Co. Ltd.
1899
Personal and Professional Connections
Aunt/uncle of Dorothy Anne Aldrich Rope
Collaborated with E. Woodward
1907 (Circa)
Friends with Elinor Jessie Marie Hallé
Friends with Sophia Rosamond Praeger
Descriptions of Practice
Listed under Sculptors Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, Coin, Gem, and Seal-Engravers, Mint Masters, &c., Ancient and Modern with References to their Works, B.C. 500 - A.D. 1900, Volume V, 1912 Biographical Dictionary of Medallists
Listed as a contemporary sculptor. Forrer notes that she exhibited numerous bronze reliefs at the Royal Academy Exhibitions 'within the last few years'. See Forrer, vol. 5, (1912), p. 211. Forrer lists Spielmann's 'British Sculpture and sculptors of to-day' (1901), as a source.
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Sculptor' working on own account 'next door' also May Heatherington Barker (c.1858-1912) 'Artist Art Teacher' working on own account and Dorothy Anne Aldrich Rope (born c.1884) 'Sculptor and Draftsman' worker
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Sculptor' working on own account at home
Sources
Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: List of Members, September 1932
September 1932
Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Rules and List of Members, 1920
1920
p.5.
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Eleventh Exhibition.
1916
p.83, p.214, p.244, p.260.
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Ninth Exhibition.
1910
p.144.
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Second Exhibition.
1889
pp.197-198, p.234, p.254.
Arts and Crafts Society: Catalogue of the Sixth Exhibition.
1899
p.80, p.82.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-eighth, 1898 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1898
pp. 45-48.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-fifth, 1895 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1895
pp. 47-50.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-seventh, 1897 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1897
pp. 44-47.
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-sixth, 1896 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1896
pp. 45-48.
Autumn exhibition of pictures & sculpture: the thirty-second, 1902 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1902
pp. 42-47.
Catalogue of the Arts & Crafts Exhibition 1900
1900
Cat. Nos. 36, 42, 43, 47B, 50, pp. 19, 20, 80
Catalogue of the Arts & Crafts Exhibition 1904
1904
Cat. Nos. 497, 1084, 1169, 1222, pp. 31, 63, 70, 74, 134
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1891
1891
Cat. Nos. 580, 581, 582, pp. 58, 114
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1895
1895
Cat. No. 625, pp. 53, 114
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1896
1896
Cat. Nos. 547, 548, 560, pp. 49, 50, 82
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1897
1897
Cat. Nos. 794, 795, 818, pp. 74, 75, 77, 107
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1898
1898
Cat. No. 262, 270, pp. 29, 30, 73
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1906
1906
Cat. Nos. 860, 869, pp. 72, 73, 97
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1907
1907
Cat. No. 336, pp. 31, 84
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1908
1908
Cat. Nos. 476, 478, 479, pp. 43, 90
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1909
1909
Cat. Nos. 238, 328, pp. 25, 32, 85
Catalogue of the Twenty-Fifth Autumn Exhibition, 1907
1907
Cat. Nos. 269, 270, pp. 48, 61
Catalogue of the Twenty-Second Autumn Exhibition, 1904
1904
Cat. No. 303, 304, 305, 308, pp. 49, 50, 60
Catalogue of the Twenty-Third Autumn Exhibition, 1905
1905
Cat. Nos. 289, 290, pp. 47, 57
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
RG13 piece 110 folio 155 page 46
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN545 RG78PN19 RD7 SD2 ED9 SN253
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
2004
Fiona Darling-Glinski, ‘Rope, Ellen Mary (1855–1934)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2005 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/64415, accessed 27 Jan 2010]
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists. The Thirty-Seventh Spring Exhibition at the Rooms of the Society, New Street, 1902
1902
pp. 55-56.
The Arts and Crafts Society of Ireland Catalogue of the Second Exhibition, 1899
1899
Citing this record
'Miss Ellen Mary Rope', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib5_1206734288, accessed 08 Jun 2023]
