Vanessa Bell (née Stephen) (1879-1961), Painter; sister of Virginia Woolf
Sitter in 16 portraits
Artist associated with 14 portraits
The eldest daughter of the literary historian and critic, Leslie Stephen, and his wife, Julia. In 1904, following the death of her widowed father, she moved to London with her sister Virginia (later Woolf) and brothers, Thoby and Adrian. Their Thursday evening 'At Homes' marked the beginning of the Bloomsbury Group. In 1907 she married Clive Bell. In 1909 she exhibited with the New English Art Club. Her association with Roger Fry led her to embrace a more modern style of painting. She formed a lasting relationship with Duncan Grant, the two acting as co-Directors of the Omega Workshop between 1913 and 1919.
by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
oil on board, 1912
NPG 5933
by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
oil on panel, 1912
On display in Room 31 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 6684
by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
oil and gouache on cardboard, 1915
NPG 6046
by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
oil on canvas, circa 1931
NPG 6717
by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
oil on canvas, 1940
NPG 4695
by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
oil on canvas, circa 1943
NPG 6718
probably by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
enlarged snapshot print on card folder, 1913
NPG x21196
probably by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
enlarged snapshot print on card folder, 1913
NPG x21198
Lytton Strachey; Duncan Grant; (Arthur) Clive Bell
by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
enlarged snapshot print on card folder, 1922
NPG x26568
Lytton Strachey; Duncan Grant; (Arthur) Clive Bell
by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
enlarged snapshot print, 1922
NPG x21199
by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
bromide snapshot print, 1926
NPG x13073
Angelica Vanessa Garnett (née Bell); Clive Bell; Stephen Tomlin; Lytton Strachey
by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
bromide snapshot print, 1926
NPG x13136
Raymond Mortimer; Angelica Vanessa Garnett (née Bell); the dog Henry; Lytton Strachey
by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
vintage snapshot print, 1928
NPG x13898
probably by Vanessa Bell (née Stephen)
enlarged snapshot print on card folder, 1913
NPG x21197
Woolf
Related People
(Arthur) Clive Heward Bell (husband)
Julian Heward Bell (son)
Quentin Claudian Stephen Bell (son)
(Karin) Judith Henderson (née Stephen) (niece)
Adrian Stephen (brother)
Sir James Stephen (grandfather)
Julia Prinsep Stephen (née Jackson; formerly Mrs Duckworth) (mother)
Sir Leslie Stephen (father)
Thoby Stephen (brother)
Ann Davies Synge (née Stephen) (niece)
Virginia Woolf (née Stephen) (sister)
Links
All paintings by this artist on the BBC Your Paintings website
Charleston, Lewes, East Sussex
Place
Sussex















