| ARTISTS |
Doris Zinkeisen (1898-1991)
Born in Kilcreggan, Scotland she is often described in the reference books as a Scottish artist though she lived most of her life in England.
Doris studied Art at the Royal Academy Schools where an exceptional early promise remained undimished over a long career. At the age of sixteen a portrait of her sister Anna was hung at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition of 1918. This proved to be only one amongst many subsequent exhibitions at the R.A, R.B.A, R.O.I., the provinces and at The Paris Salon where she was a gold, silver and bronze medal winner.
In the twenties and thirties she was an acknowledged society portraitist and equestrian artist. At the same time Doris worked extensively on theatrical costume and stage design for revues and plays produced by such famous names as Nigel Playfair, Charles B. Cochran and Noel Coward. During the 1939-45 war she found time to design costumes and sets for the Old Vic Theatre productions of Richard III and Arms and the Man starring Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson and Sybil Thorndyke. First published in 1938 her Designing for the Stage was the acknowledged text book for the dramatic arts for many years and was republished in 1954. She also decorated the Verandah Grill in the transatlantic liner Queen Mary, repairing and repainting the décor when the liner returned to civilian use after service as a troop ship.
The Second World War saw service with the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade firstly nursing at St. Mary’s Hospital and later through appointment as official War Artist to the Brigade. In the latter capacity, as the first civilian woman to do so, Doris entered the infamous Belsen Camp on its liberation by allied troops. Her graphic depiction of the appalling scenes there are now at the Imperial War Museum, London.
As an accomplished horsewoman Doris had a parallel life in the equestrian world winning the Supreme Hack Championship at Olympia in 1934. As an expert on harness and carriages Doris designed and presented, in memory of her daughter Janet, the trophy for British Driving Association whose President is H.R.H. Prince Philip. The trophy is awarded annually at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
A remarkable range of paintings, set and theatrical costume designs at The Vineyard at Stockcross are a significant of the collection there.
Written by Noël Napier-Ford
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