Katey Dickens was a nineteenth-century artist and socialite, and the beautiful daughter of Charles Dickens. In this illuminating biography, Lucinda Hawksley, herself Dickens' great-great-great-granddaughter, recreates the life of an extraordinarily determined girl who defied Victorian convention to live and love as an independent woman. Blessed with a privileged upbringing in a family that moved between London, France, Switzerland and Italy, Katey pursued her love of painting, acted in her father's plays, modelled for John Everett Millais and, as the daughter of the most famous writer of the time, enjoyed a high profile in Victorian society. Yet, she refused to be eclipsed by her father and fought to establish herself as an artist in her own right. Family life in the Dickens household was turbulent and the unhappy atmosphere that followed the eventual breakdown of her parents' marriage drove Katey to marry young. Her first husband was the chronically ailing Charlie Collins, brother of the famous author Wilkie Collins, and theirs was a sexless but otherwise companionable union, while Katey threw herself into a passionate and very un-Victorian affair with celebrated artist Val Prinsep. After Charlie's untimely demise, the widowed Katey married the handsome Italian artist Carlo Perugini, with whom she had fallen deeply in love. Despite the happiness she finally found in her second marriage, Katey often suffered from deep depression, particularly following the death of her beloved father and of her baby. But she remained active, pursuing her career as a painter, championing Charles Dickens' works, and befriending such eminent figures as J. M. Barrie and George Bernard Shaw. Katey Perugini lived to be almost ninety and her artistic prestige, which flourished during her lifetime, still persists to this day. Author of the acclaimed "Lizzie Siddal: The Tragedy of a Pre-Raphaelite Supermodel", Lucinda Hawksley has delved deep into her own family history to research this fascinating new biography, which intimately remembers the life of a supremely independent Victorian woman.
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From the Inside Flap
Katey Dickens was a nineteenth-century artist and socialite, and the beautiful daughter of Charles Dickens. In this illuminating biography, Lucinda Hawksley, herself Dickens’s great-great-great-granddaughter, recreates the life of an extraordinarily determined girl who defied Victorian convention to live and love as an independent woman.
Blessed with a privileged upbringing in an family that moved between London, France, Switzerland and Italy, Katey pursued her love of painting, acted in her father’s plays, modelled for John Everett Millais and, as the daughter of the most famous writer of the time, enjoyed a high profile in Victorian society. Yet she refused to be eclipsed by her father and fought to establish herself as an artist in her own right. Family life in the Dickens household was turbulent and the unhappy atmosphere that followed the eventual breakdown of her parents’ marriage drove Katey to marry young. Her first husband was the chronically ailing Charlie Collins, brother of the famous author Wilkie Collins, and theirs was a sexless but otherwise companionable union, while Katey threw herself into a passionate and very un-Victorian affair with celebrated artist Val Prinsep. After Charlie’s untimely demise, the widowed Katey married the handsome Italian artist Carlo Perugini, with whom she had fallen deeply in love. Despite the happiness she finally found in her second marriage, Katey often suffered from deep depression, particularly following the death of her beloved father and of her baby. But she remained active, pursuing her career as a painter, championing Charles Dickens’s works, and befriending such eminent figures as J. M. Barrie and George Bernard Shaw. Katey Perugini lived to be almost ninety and her artistic prestige, which flourished during her lifetime, still persists to this day.
Blessed with a privileged upbringing in an family that moved between London, France, Switzerland and Italy, Katey pursued her love of painting, acted in her father’s plays, modelled for John Everett Millais and, as the daughter of the most famous writer of the time, enjoyed a high profile in Victorian society. Yet she refused to be eclipsed by her father and fought to establish herself as an artist in her own right. Family life in the Dickens household was turbulent and the unhappy atmosphere that followed the eventual breakdown of her parents’ marriage drove Katey to marry young. Her first husband was the chronically ailing Charlie Collins, brother of the famous author Wilkie Collins, and theirs was a sexless but otherwise companionable union, while Katey threw herself into a passionate and very un-Victorian affair with celebrated artist Val Prinsep. After Charlie’s untimely demise, the widowed Katey married the handsome Italian artist Carlo Perugini, with whom she had fallen deeply in love. Despite the happiness she finally found in her second marriage, Katey often suffered from deep depression, particularly following the death of her beloved father and of her baby. But she remained active, pursuing her career as a painter, championing Charles Dickens’s works, and befriending such eminent figures as J. M. Barrie and George Bernard Shaw. Katey Perugini lived to be almost ninety and her artistic prestige, which flourished during her lifetime, still persists to this day.
Author of the acclaimed Lizzie Siddal: The Tragedy of a Pre-Raphaelite Supermodel, Lucinda Hawksley has delved deep into her own family history to research this fascinating new biography, which intimately remembers the life of a supremely independent Victorian woman. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Back Cover
Katey Dickens - artist, socialite and daughter of the famous novelist - was a supremely independent Victorian woman. Lucinda Hawksley, herself Charles Dickens’s great-great-great granddaughter, charts the life of a girl way ahead of her time.Living to be almost ninety, Katey survived turbulent marriages and bouts of depression to be not only an acclaimed painter, but an actress, socialite, lover and wife.
Compelling and illuminating, Katey tells the story of a spirited individual who found fame at the centre of the very first celebrity phenomenon.Her artistic prestige, which flourished during her lifetime, still persists to this day.
‘Succeeds in breathing fresh life into the Dickens myth…A generous-spirited biography’
Daily Telegraph
‘Gripping…Fascinating and enthralling’
Daily Mail
‘A remarkable old lady of undoubted wit and charm…Hawksley evokes it well’
Literary Review
Compelling and illuminating, Katey tells the story of a spirited individual who found fame at the centre of the very first celebrity phenomenon.Her artistic prestige, which flourished during her lifetime, still persists to this day.
‘Succeeds in breathing fresh life into the Dickens myth…A generous-spirited biography’
Daily Telegraph
‘Gripping…Fascinating and enthralling’
Daily Mail
‘A remarkable old lady of undoubted wit and charm…Hawksley evokes it well’
Literary Review
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a personal quest into the life of an illustrious relation of the author, inspired by a remarkable painting. Who was this provocative Katey? How could she dictate the style of her portrait to an artist of such standing as Millais?
I really enjoyed this enthusiastic book. It doesn't talk down to the reader, despite obviously being extremely well researched, and isn't too girly for a simple fellow like me. Katey was the favourite daughter of Charles Dickens so found herself at the centre of the very first celebrity phenomenon. She would easily relate to today's awful Hello! culture.
In many ways Katey was ahead of her time. The scope for scandal back then was immense and perhaps due to her flirtatious nature the attractive Katey nearly earned a reputation for being "fast." I say! Hell-o!
It's ironic that the only way she could escape the tragic breakdown of her father's marriage was by committing matrimony herself. Despite her undoubted artistic talents and impeccable social connections, Katey could not really have a career of her own, being limited by her gender to painting portraits of children.
I can understand that some fans of Charles Dickens would feel aggrieved to learn some things about him from this book. I felt like that when I discovered Iggy Pop played golf. I decided this makes his achievements all the more remarkable. Iggy lived rock'n'roll. Dickens championed family life. It's all part of the Yin and Yang. Charles' predicament is also very sympathetically explored. Although not excused, his peccadilloes were mild compared to some gentlemen of his generation.
While this book answers some of the mysteries, it exposes others. Did Katey have a half-brother or sister? What was the relationship with her first husband? Why did she marry Carlo Perugini twice, once in secret and later in public? What could she have achieved if allowed to fully pursue her undoubted artistic ability?
I really enjoyed this enthusiastic book. It doesn't talk down to the reader, despite obviously being extremely well researched, and isn't too girly for a simple fellow like me. Katey was the favourite daughter of Charles Dickens so found herself at the centre of the very first celebrity phenomenon. She would easily relate to today's awful Hello! culture.
In many ways Katey was ahead of her time. The scope for scandal back then was immense and perhaps due to her flirtatious nature the attractive Katey nearly earned a reputation for being "fast." I say! Hell-o!
It's ironic that the only way she could escape the tragic breakdown of her father's marriage was by committing matrimony herself. Despite her undoubted artistic talents and impeccable social connections, Katey could not really have a career of her own, being limited by her gender to painting portraits of children.
I can understand that some fans of Charles Dickens would feel aggrieved to learn some things about him from this book. I felt like that when I discovered Iggy Pop played golf. I decided this makes his achievements all the more remarkable. Iggy lived rock'n'roll. Dickens championed family life. It's all part of the Yin and Yang. Charles' predicament is also very sympathetically explored. Although not excused, his peccadilloes were mild compared to some gentlemen of his generation.
While this book answers some of the mysteries, it exposes others. Did Katey have a half-brother or sister? What was the relationship with her first husband? Why did she marry Carlo Perugini twice, once in secret and later in public? What could she have achieved if allowed to fully pursue her undoubted artistic ability?
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Subee
Format:Hardcover
I found that once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. You can feel Lucinda's passion about her family member which makes it more interesting. It gives an insight into being a celebrity child and the way of life.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By joannabee
Format:Hardcover
I really enjoyed this book, once I started reading I couldn't put it down. It gives an interesting insight to life within a high-profile family in Victorian times. The fact it is written by a family member adds interest and depth, for me anyway. A really good read that also educates. Highly recommended.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Portrait of a Lady
This is an excellent biography about Charles Dickens' daughter Kate Perugini. Katey was born in 1839-just after Dickens' first success, The Pickwick Papers. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Supportyourlocallibrary
5.0 out of 5 stars
Read this book!
I loved this book and can truly recommend it. You feel like you've really stepped into Katey's world and I came out the other side feeling sad it had ended. Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2006 by A.C.
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