Description

Extended Data

DAAO URL

https://www.daao.org.au/bio/mary-therese-vidal

Birth Place

England, UK

Biography

miniature painter, sketcher and novelist, was born and lived in England until 1840, when she came to NSW with her husband, the Rev. Francis Vidal, and their three sons. They spent five years at Penrith before returning to England. Considered Australia’s first woman novelist, Vidal wrote Tales for the Bush (Sydney, 1845)-which, despite the title, lacks any obvious Australian content-and The Cabramatta Store , published as part of Cabramatta, and Woodleigh Farm (London, 1849), a series of vignettes about life in the Nepean district of NSW. Her third and last 'Australian’ work is the full-length novel Bengala: or, Some Time Ago (London, 1860: later reprinted), which is set in a fictitious township north of Sydney. She never mentions painting but in 1995 the National Library of Australia acquired a series of items relating to Mary Vidal notably three miniature paintings – including a self-portrait and a portrait of her husband (c.1840s. oil on wood) – and a sketchbook of flower specimens painted 1871-72. This entry is a stub. You can help DAAO by submitting a biography. Writers: Staff Writer Date written: 1992 Last updated: 1989

Born

b. 1815

Summary

A miniature painter and sketcher whose works are held in the National Library of Australia, Vidal is better known as a novelist and is considered Australia's first female novelist, despite only living in Australia for five years.

Gender

Female

Died

1873

Age at death

58