Mary Lightbody Gow: A Victorian Watercolorist of Delicate Souls Mary Lightbody Gow (born December 25, 1851, in London; died May 27, 1929, also in London) stands as a quietly significant figure within the landscape of late 19th-century British watercolor. Her legacy isn’t one of grand historical scenes or dramatic portraits, but rather a profound sensitivity to capturing the fleeting beauty of everyday life – particularly the innocence and vulnerability of young girls and women. Born into an artistic family—her father, James Gow, was himself a respected genre and historical painter—Gow inher…