{"id":297,"date":"2023-08-03T13:02:08","date_gmt":"2023-08-03T12:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/?post_type=project&p=297"},"modified":"2025-07-31T11:57:53","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T10:57:53","slug":"beautifully-bleak","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/project\/beautifully-bleak\/","title":{"rendered":"Beautifully Bleak"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Header” _builder_version=”4.20.0″ _module_preset=”default” collapsed=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.20.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.20.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/brides_inthe_bath_home.jpg” alt=”Brides in the Bath painting by Anna-Marie Buss” title_text=”Brides in the Bath” show_in_lightbox=”on” use_overlay=”on” overlay_icon_color=”#EAEAEA” hover_overlay_color=”rgba(86,72,114,0.56)” hover_icon=”.||divi||400″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.04)” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” transform_styles__hover_enabled=”on|hover” transform_scale__hover_enabled=”on|hover” transform_translate__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” transform_rotate__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” transform_skew__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” transform_origin__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” box_shadow_spread__hover=”30px” box_shadow_spread__hover_enabled=”on|desktop”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/bridesinthebath_insitu_long.jpg” title_text=”Brides in the Bath on the wall” show_in_lightbox=”on” use_overlay=”on” overlay_icon_color=”#FFFFFF” hover_overlay_color=”rgba(86,72,114,0.56)” hover_icon=”.||divi||400″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/bridesholdingup.jpg” title_text=”Anna-Marie displaying Brides in the Bath” _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_line_height=”1.8em” header_5_text_color=”#564872″ header_5_line_height=”1.4em” header_6_line_height=”1.3em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

SERIES: BEAUTIFULLY BLEAK<\/h3>\n

“Beautifully Bleak” is a compelling exploration of the delicate balance between nature’s serene beauty and the darker undercurrents of human existence. Each piece in the series invites the viewer to experience a quiet deception – where soft colours, graceful forms, and an elegant aesthetic mask a deeper, more unsettling narrative. Through this juxtaposition, the series challenges perceptions, revealing the fragile line between allure and unease. The result is a hauntingly beautiful collection that lingers in the mind, encouraging reflection on humanity\u2019s darker side.<\/span><\/h5>\n

“Brides in the Bath”<\/h3>\n

Oil on Canvas | 24″ x 36″ | \u00a32200<\/h6>\n

At first glance, “Brides in the Bath” radiates an air of tranquility and grace. Soft pink and yellow hues bathe the scene in warmth, while a bride drifts serenely among seaweed, her figure reminiscent of Ophelia\u2019s poetic stillness. Nearby, three roll-top baths rest on the sand, the tide pulled back to reveal pairs of shoes peeking from the ends of each tub. The initial serenity, however, is a veil for a darker truth. This painting draws its chilling inspiration from the infamous Brides in the Bath Murders of 1910. By juxtaposing ethereal beauty with unsettling history, the work provokes a tension between what is seen and what is known, inviting the viewer to confront the fragile line between appearance and reality.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1910 George Joseph Smith met Beatrice (Bessie) Mundy. Not long after they met and after finding out she had inherited \u00a32500 from her late father, he proposed. Two years into the marriage he took her to see a doctor claiming she had epileptic\u00a0fits that she was unaware of. On moving to Herne Bay in Kent he got her to purchase a steel bathtub which became the perfect murder weapon. After drowning her, Smith sent the doctor a note saying she had died in the bath. At the inquest that followed the verdict was accidental death by drowning. Smith was then awarded her inheritance.<\/p>\n

In 1913 he went on to murder Alice Burnham and in 1914 Margaret Elizabeth Lofty, both of whom were also drowned. In 1915 he was convicted of all three murders. He was sentenced to death by hanging in Maidstone Prison. It became known as the “Brides in the Bath Murders”.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • A truly unique and original painting, only one of its kind in existence!<\/li>\n
  • This painting is on a 20mm canvas, unframed and ready to hang.<\/li>\n
  • Framing on request, please get in touch to discuss ideas and your decor.\u00a0<\/li>\n
  • Signed on the front and reverse by the artist Anna-Marie Buss and will make a sensational and thought-provoking addition to your home – a great talking piece!<\/li>\n
  • Free delivery in the UK, please get in contact for a shipping price outside of the UK<\/li>\n
  • I’m currently working on a new online store, but in the meantime, if you would like to buy it, please contact me using the button below.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

     <\/p>\n

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    “Green Tea and Cake?”<\/h3>\n

    Digital Painting |\u00a024″ x 36″<\/h6>\n

    At first glance, “Green Tea and Cake” radiates warmth and nostalgia. Two children sit eagerly at a table laid with tea and cake; their faces filled with innocent anticipation. A dog sniffs curiously at the base of the table, adding to the scene’s homely charm. The room is adorned with rich burgundy wallpaper, enveloping the moment in warmth. In the foreground, a mother stands with a large teapot, her face hidden from view, a quiet symbol of anonymity. The children’s “arsenic green” clothes hint at something more sinister, and the truth behind the scene soon reveals itself: the tea is laced with poison. This juxtaposition of a cozy domestic setting with a menacing undercurrent challenges the viewer to reconsider notions of safety, trust, and the extreme lengths people will go, to enhance their lives.<\/p>\n

    Mary Ann Cotton (1832 \u2013 1873) is known for being the first ever female serial killer.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Sometime after marrying her first husband William, he took out a life insurance policy that covered both him and their three children. She felt let down by William who reneged on his promises of a good life. Seeing no other way out of her dire situation she purchased Arsenic and started adding it to his tea. After his death she collected on the insurance policy. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Over the next 20 years, almost without suspision, she got away with killing 10 children, three husbands, five stepchildren, her mother a sister-in-law and a lover all by Arsenic poisoning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    She was finally caught, sentenced and hanged at Durham Jail for the death of her stepson, Edward James Cotton.
    <\/span><\/p>\n

    Gicl\u00e9e Prints to treat yourself or as a gift:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • 16″ x 24″ \u00a3195<\/li>\n
    • Printed on Hahnem\u00fchle German Etching paper, a natural natural white, uncoated paper with a slight texture<\/span>.\u00a0<\/li>\n
    • Free P&P in the UK, please contact me for a delivery price outside of the UK.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Canvas Prints for that extra special finish<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      • 40cm x 50cm x 4cm stretched box canvas \u00a3250<\/li>\n
      • Crafted from classic Polyester Canvas material, ensuring vibrant, long-lasting colours.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Free P&P in the UK, please contact me for a delivery price outside of the UK.<\/li>\n
      • I’m currently working on a new online store, but in the meantime, if you would like to buy a print, please contact me using the button below.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

         <\/p>\n

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        SERIES: BEAUTIFULLY BLEAK “Beautifully Bleak” is a compelling exploration of the delicate balance between nature’s serene beauty and the darker undercurrents of human existence. Each piece in the series invites the viewer to experience a quiet deception – where soft colours, graceful forms, and an elegant aesthetic mask a deeper, more unsettling narrative. Through this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":639,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"project_category":[7],"project_tag":[23,8,25,24],"class_list":["post-297","project","type-project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","project_category-present-projects","project_tag-brides-in-the-bath-murder","project_tag-digital-painting","project_tag-macabre-painting","project_tag-mary-ann-cotton-murder"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/project"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=297"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1378,"href":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/297\/revisions\/1378"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"project_category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project_category?post=297"},{"taxonomy":"project_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/annamariebuss.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project_tag?post=297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}