Constance Mary Pott

[3] In her day she was recognized as a pioneer in the etching revival, for her dynamic, versatile mastery of technique and line, for the spacious evocation of landscape in her plates, and for her formal professional occupation, all exceptional achievements by any standards, but more especially so in their combining in her to overcome societal disapproval of professions for women.

She grew up in a Victorian upper-middle-class family home in Cornwall Gardens, South Kensington, next-door to the architect Thomas Cundy III.

[7] Her mother Mrs. Henry Pott (1833-1915), a granddaughter of the developer James Burton, was an early advocate of the Baconian theory of Shakespeare authorship.

[13] The South Kensington Museum evolved during the middle and later years of the nineteenth century, with collections in science and applied arts forming a resource for education and training in the rapidly expanding productive industries.

"[20]In 1898 she met the Leicestershire artist Mary Annie Sloane (1867-1961, a student of Herkomer's), who became a close friend, and later was inspired to join Short's classes.

[27] A notice of 1912 refers to her absolute command of every medium of the copperplate, her mastery of technique rendering service to a rare and beautiful artistic expression.

"...the inspiration of Sir Frank Short's teaching, with the loyal and invaluable collaboration of Miss Constance Pott, who leaves with him, must always remain a priceless asset to the School of Engraving.

But, in the difficult years following the War and the controversies affecting the management of the Society, she ever strove to secure the maintenance of those cherished traditions which had stemmed from her mother, the founder; and, with staunch loyalty, stoutly resisted any attempt to depart therefrom.

My particular personal memory is of the readiness with which she extended a helping hand to a newcomer in search of the truth..."[33]She died in the last days of her 95th year in 1957, as of the family residence in Cornwall Gardens,[2] leaving the majority of her belongings to her two sisters and her money to Johannes Matthias Daum, a former student of hers from the Royal College of Art.

[34] Surveying the etching revival, the authors explore reasons as to why women artists found it more difficult than men to build their reputations, and why these were often less enduring than those of their male contemporaries.

If Constance Pott was deterred by the Victorian disapproval of self-promotion, then (despite her pioneering achievements) she was perhaps less able to exploit her artwork for its own sake: but her professional calling rose above this consideration.

Since she lived to a great old age, she long outlived the fashion for etchings in the manner of her important works: finally, she had no children, so that her family was unable to sustain awareness of the high reputation which she had formerly enjoyed.