Our image of Mrs Chisholm is a cropping of the original portrait by A. C. Hayter, whose full name was Angelo Collen Hayter. He painted it in 1852, when his subject was 44 years of age, living in London, and still in the thick of working for much-needed changes in emigration arrangements. The portrait is held by the NSW State Library, and it has been digitalized (reference DG459).
Note: Permission to use the Hayter image here has been obtained from the NSW State Library.
The objectives remain the same:www.mrschisholm.com seeks to increase knowledge and appreciation of the life and work of Caroline Chisholm, particularly of her heroic virtue, and to help in promoting the commencement and advancement of a Cause for her beatification in the Catholic Church . . . and, in time, her canonization.
Hayter has painted Caroline Chisholm at night. The room is heavily shadowed, and her dark dress is offset by a stark white collar. Her face, illuminated by what looks to be gas lighting, is strong and engaging, replete with intelligence and character.
Thomas Fairland’s beautiful image, as printed on the prayer card, was based on Hayter’s portrait. Fairland painted it on stone, which was used to produce hand-coloured lithographic copies whose palette of predominantly pastel colours and lightness of touch made his image appear quite different to the oil painting on which it was based.
Mrs Chisholm 