Portrait of Eliza Grace Symonds Bell 1809 - 1897

Portrait of Eliza Grace Symonds Bell (reputedly a self-portrait), the mother of Alexander Graham Bell, oil on canvas, 39” x 32” It is thought to be from the 1850s when she was in her forties and living in Edinburgh. Assuming a good dose of artistic license, the buildings on the left may be Tron Kirk (l) and St Giles looking west along the High St. I can’t determine what landmark is on the right.

I have not seen or heard of any other portraits or any paintings of this size by Eliza Grace, only miniatures and small sketchbooks. If you have images to share of such works or know of such works viewable online, please, please, get in touch & send a link landessullivan at gmail.com.

Though family lore says it is by her, it is unlikely any artist could produce a full size painting of this polished quality with no evidence of any others. Family lore also says that it came [back] to AGB by way of Australia where, at least, 2 of her 4 brothers had immigrated. After the 2nd immigrant brother’s death in 1899, his children sent the painting to AGB in Washington DC. Eliza Grace died in 1897.

A Biography of Eliza Symonds

This wonderful bio was taken from Online Safety Trainer (click)

[Original text has no images. See note on images below.]

Eliza Grace Symonds Bell, inscribed Canada in Autumn and *Tutelo Heights* which is near Brantford, Ont, not dated, size unknown, cropping done by another, likely watercolor & gouache

Eliza Symonds was a remarkable woman who overcame her deafness to become an accomplished musician and painter. She was also the mother of Alexander Graham Bell, one of the most influential inventors in history.

Eliza Symonds was born on September 21, 1809, in Alverstoke, Hampshire, England. She was the daughter of a naval officer and a descendant of John Hampden, a leader of the English Civil War. She grew up in a cultured and educated family, and showed an early talent for music and art.

All by Eliza Grace - right images look like self portraits, bottom left image is of her mother, Mary White Symonds, according to a note dated 1904 on back of the image by AGB.

Eliza Grace, published sketch/print *Gateway at Dunfermline Abbey* date unknown, about 8” x 10”

At the age of 12, Eliza contracted scarlet fever, which left her partially deaf. Despite this setback, she continued to pursue her passions and learned to play the pianoforte and the harp. She also developed a skill for painting miniatures on ivory.

In 1843, Eliza married Alexander Melville Bell, a professor of elocution and phonetics who had developed a system of visible speech for teaching the deaf. They had three sons: Melville James (1845-1870), Alexander Graham (1847-1922), and Edward Charles (1848-1867).

Eliza was a devoted mother who encouraged her sons’ intellectual curiosity and creativity. She taught them to read at an early age and exposed them to various subjects such as literature, science, history, and languages. She also supported their musical interests and often played duets with them on the piano or harp.

Eliza’s deafness worsened over time, but she never let it hinder her communication or social life. She learned to lip-read in several languages and became fluent in French. She also maintained an active correspondence with her friends and relatives. She was incredibly close to her son Alexander Graham Bell, who shared her love for music and art.

Alexander Graham Bell inherited his father’s interest in speech and sound. He became fascinated by the idea of transmitting speech over wires after seeing a demonstration of an electric telegraph. He also wanted to help his mother communicate better with others. He experimented with various devices such as tuning forks, magnets, batteries, wires, reeds, membranes, needles, etc., until he finally invented the telephone in 1876.

Eliza was one of the first people to hear her son’s voice over his new invention. She was amazed by this breakthrough and proud of his achievement. She later wrote to him: “I am so happy that you have been able to give voice to those who cannot speak”[3].

Eliza lived long enough to see her son become famous for his invention. She also witnessed him marry Mabel Hubbard (1857-1923), another deaf woman he taught visible speech. Eliza welcomed Mabel into her family and became fond of her grandchildren.

Eliza died on May 10th, 1897, at Washington D.C., at age 87. She was buried next to her husband at Rock Creek Cemetery. Her tombstone bears an inscription that reads: “In memory of Eliza Grace Symonds Bell / Wife / Mother / Friend.”

Eliza Symonds was an extraordinary woman who overcame adversity with grace and dignity. She inspired her son Alexander Graham Bell with her courage and love. She left behind a legacy of artistry and innovation that still resonates today.

References:

number 1 reference: This wonderful bio was taken from Online Safety Trainer (click)

Images:

I’m lucky to have any images of Eliza Grace’s work to show here much less with their dates, subjects, media, sizes & provenance. If you’ve googled for her work, you know it is hard to find despite its high quality; her reputation as a respected self-supporting working artist in the mid 19th century; and, even, her famous son. If you know of works viewable online or any orgs who might share offline images, please, please get in touch & send a link to landessullivan at gmail.com.

I believe most of her extant work is in Brantford, Ontario in a little museum run by the town. I believe the works shown here are there.

Eliza Grace and Alexander Melville Bell lived in Brantford for many years. The museum preserves their house as it was. Its claim to fame is being the place in 1874 where AGB got his great epiphany about how the telephone could work.

Unfortunately, that means Eliza Grace is treated simply as the “mother of.” Hence, the museum has never thought to highlight her artwork in the house or online.