The World Through Lucy's Eyes: Scrapbook Photographs and Self-Portraits
One of the most intriguing items in Lucy’s archive is a scrapbook she created, probably sometime between 1958-1965 (Box 20, File 1). This scrapbook portrays the Russell family through Lucy’s eyes. It is filled with blurry, informal photographs of Lucy's relatives alongside her annotations. Lucy captures a record of the events significant to her: school outings; her participation in peace rallies; and daily life at Plas Penrhyn. She also curates a vision of harmonious family life that is, we know from her letters, at odds with her reality. Members of her family who did not get along in life are placed next to one another on scrapbook pages.
Possible self-portrait by Lucy
Lucy created many drawings and paintings. This pencil sketch is the only one in her papers which resembles her. Though it is unsigned and not identified as a self-portrait, it could be a glimpse into how Lucy wished to depict herself: in the image the woman appears interrupted mid-way through reading; she is remote, a little distracted, keen of eye. Above her swirls an abstract geometrical shape.