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| PICTURE THIS: Honorary archivist Judith Phillips is welcoming people to the photo-booth at the Josephine Bowes Exhibition at The Bowes Museum |
So it is perhaps fitting that an entire exhibition is being dedicated to her as the museum celebrates its 125th anniversary.
The exhibition Josephine Bowes – A Woman of Taste and Influence explores many facets of her life: as John Bowes’ lover and mistress, as an actress, as a woman of fashion, as an artist and as a patron of the arts, as a socialite and as a collector.
Honorary archivist Judith Phillips, who co-curated the display, explained that Josephine has never been given the credit she deserved for coming up with the idea of the museum.
She said: “The majority of the letters and bills were addressed to her, Madame Bowes. It looks like she chose most or the things. I think she was the spirit [behind the museum]. In her will she describes it as her collection.”
On entry to the exhibition visitors are confronted by a large portrait of Josephine, painted in 1850 by Tony Dury. She was 25 at the time.
Ms Phillips said former museum curator, Elizabeth Conran, studied the painting and deduced much about the character of the woman from it.
Her dress, furniture and an Imari vase shows how fashionable she was, while the books on the table shows her passion for culture.
“She was quite cutting edge,” said Ms Phillips.
The exhibition is focussed on Josephine, but a small part is dedicated to John (pictured above). She explained he must have a mention since it was his money that paid for the museum and the collection. There is also a glimpse into the love they shared. A gold and pearl clockwork mouse is on display. The item, which cost £22 in its day, was given to John by his wife for his 60th birthday.
In addition there is the only remaining letter written by Josephine to John in which his affectionate nickname for her, Puss, is mentioned.
Ms Phillips said: “We know there were many more [letters] because of the entries in the diaries.”
A surprise is the collection of paintings produced by Josephine. The museum has 60 of them, mostly landscapes, and none are know to exist anywhere else. She was good enough to have exhibited in the Paris Salon, at the Louvre, for four successive years.
Further along are paintings she bought which show how she was buying paintings from contemporary artists, such as the impressionist Monticelli long before he found fame.
Ms Phillips said: “She bought a lot of stuff that would not have been popular at the time.”
As a patron of the arts, she commissioned items, such as a sweet dish and jug by glass artist Emile Galle. Letters of gratitude from authors she supported are displayed alongside personally inscribed copies of their work.
Ms Phillips added: “They deliberately chose objects to be inspirational and educational, but they were careful in what they bought so they had a wide variety. They were fascinated by Romany, Tuscany and medieval items.”
Among the items is a medieval book of hours and a Roman tear jug.
A final section of the exhibition is the most painful. It describes how Josephine was plagued by ill health. The co-curator points to the many doctors and pharmacist bills as evidence.
It is believed she died suddenly, and unexpectedly, of a chest infection at the age of 48.
In letters, John Bowes described how distraught he was. She never saw the museum completed.
However, her legacy lives on.
And it is her legacy that is confirmed in the words of John Bowes himself: “Thanks only are due to my late wife, as the idea, and prospect, of the museum and park, originated entirely with her.”
The exhibition runs until July 16.
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