Jeanne DU MAURIER

Jeanne was the daughter of the famous actor Sir Gerald du Maurier and his actress wife Muriel Beaumont, and the younger sister of novelist Daphne. She studied at the Central School of Art in Southampton Row, and was in the life class under Bernard MENINSKY. She also studied drypoint and etching there. After she attended the St. John's Wood School of Art (studying painting under P F Millard) her first studio was in Hampstead, and she began exhibiting in 1938 with the RBA and SWA.

Following the death of her father and the outbreak of WWII, her family moved permanently to 'Ferryside' at Fowey, their holiday home since 1926. During the war she ran a market garden, putting her painting aside.

Her next exhibition was with STISA in the Autumn of 1945, opened by her mother Lady du Maurier. She took a studio in St Ives and again exhibited in 1946 where she met Dod PROCTER who asked her if she could paint her portrait. The two became close friends, spending three winters together, two in Tenerife and one in Africa. By the time she exhibited at the RA in the 1950s, Jeanne had moved to Manaton in Devon. She painted mostly still life, flowers, landscapes and the occasional portrait. Among her works exhibited at the RA were flower paintings.

Jeanne was also a member of the NSA, and exhibited with the Newlyn artists in 1977 at Pont-Aven in Brittany.