Selina Bracebridge

Date of birth: 1800 — Date of death: 1874

Bracebridge was a pupil of Samuel Prout (1783-1852), a celebrated artist and teacher, and was said to have been his favourite student. Like him she recorded many of the places she visited in Europe. Stylistically she owes much to Prout, who specialised in townscapes crammed with precise architectural detail, yet always full of lively figures and movement. Bracebridge herself travelled widely, visiting Italy and Germany in 1825 and Sweden in 1840.She is also notable because she was a close friend of the reformer of hospital nursing, Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), whom she met in 1846. For nine months she and her husband Charles acted as her assistants at the Barrack Hospital in Scutari, where Nightingale pioneered improvements in the treatment of British soldiers during the Crimean War.She is also notable because she was a close friend of the reformer of hospital nursing, Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), whom she met in 1846. For 9 months she and her husband Charles acted as her assistants at the Barrack Hospital in Scutari, where Nightingale pioneered improvements in the treatment of British soldiers during the Crimean War.