Valentine Bartholomew

Who was Valentine Bartholomew?

Valentine Bartholomew was an English flower painter.

Bartholomew had some professional instruction in art early on but was largely self-taught. In 1827, he married Adelaide Hullmandell the daughter of Charles Hullmandel, lithographer - the artist had worked for and lived with the latter from 1821–27; she died in January 1839. In the following year, he married Ann Charlotte Turnbull, widow of the musical composer Walter Turnbull.

Bartholomew became an early member of the Society of Painters in Water Colours, which he joined in 1835. He had a special talent for flower painting, a branch of art which he pursued with much success, his works being chiefly remarkable for the great care and the large scale on which they were carried out. 'Azaleas ' and "Camellias" are in the South Kensington Museum. Bartholomew held for many years the post of Flower Painter in Ordinary to the Queen from 1837.

He died in his 80th year on 21 March 1879.