Born in Carnoustie, she was educated at Morrison’s Academy for Girls in Crieff, and later at the Venerable Bede C of E School in Sunderland,. Her family moved frequently as her war-wounded father sought work away from big cities in the countryside, initially working as an agent for Silcock’s cattle cake and animal feeds, and latterly as manager of the Abbey Hotel in Kenilworth As a result her education took place in several other schools as well as the ones named above. Her progress to university was interrupted by World War II, during which she served as a nurse in the Royal Western Infirmary, Glasgow, looking after child victims of the bombing, and she did not obtain her PhD, from Birkbeck College, until 2003 at the age of 81.[2][citation needed]
Corneille de Lyon - Portrait of a Woman - Cleveland Museum of Art
After the War, she was encouraged in her decision to pursue a career in art history by Anthony Blunt, Director of the Courtauld Institute of Art. She published widely, and was a promoter of the work of the Flemish painter Corneille de Lyon (died 1575), who worked extensively in French Court circles. One of her last ventures was the creation of an [1]
e-book on the roof angels of the East Anglian churches.
She was married for over 50 years to Professor C. A. Mayer,[3] known as “Klaus”, who was a specialist in 16th century French literature and in particular, of the work and influence of the celebrated French Court poet, Clément Marot (died 1544). They had a son, Edward Mayer.[3] They collaborated on a number of works, most notably on a biography of Florimond Robertet [fr](died 1527), secrétaire d’état to a succession of French Kings and notable patron of the arts.
Corneille de Lyon - Portrait believed to be of Clément Marot (Oil on wood 1536)"A Portrait of Clément Marot by Corneille de Lyon" , Bibliothèque d’Humanisme et Renaissance (BHR), vol XXV, 1963, pp 174–77.
“Further Additions to the iconography of Clément Marot”, BHR, vol XXVI, 1964, pp 419–23.
(with C. A. Mayer) “Le Premier Pétrarquiste Français, Jean Marot” , BHR, vol XXVII, 1965, pp 183–5.
(with C. A. Mayer) “Clément Marot, poète pétrarquiste”, BHR, vol XXVIII, 1966, pp 32–51.
“La réputation de Clément Marot en Angleterre”, Studi Francese, No 50, 1973, pp 201–221.
“Quelques additions à l’oeuvre de Nicholas Hilliard”, Gazette des Beaux-Arts, octobre 1983, pp 129–133.
“L’Iconographie de Marguerite de Savoie (1523–74)”, in “Culture et Pouvoir au Temps de l’humanisme et de la Renaissance”, Slatkine-Genève-Champion, Paris, 1978, pp 243–56
(with C. A. Mayer) “Florimond Robertet: Italianisme et Renaissance française”, seigneur_de_Fresne in “Mélanges à la memoire de Franco Simone”, vol IV, 1983, pp 135–149.
“The Iconography of Clément Marot” , in “Literature and the Arts in the reign of François I: Essays presented to C. A. Mayer”, French Forum Publishers, Lexington, USA, 1985, pp 17–53.
“An early sixteenth-century French architectural source for the Palace of Falkland” Review of Scottish Culture ROSC 2, 1986, pp 85–95.
“The Château of Beauregard and the Robertet family”, BHR, vol XLIX, 1987, no 1, pp 69–81.
“A sixteenth century patron of the arts, Florimond Robertet , Baron d’Allaye and his ‘vierge ouvrante’” [Florimond II Robertet, seigneur de Fresne] , BHR, vol L, 1988, pp 317–33.
“Effigy and Portrait in sixteenth century Scotland”, ROSC 4, 1988, pp 9–23.
Le Comté de Neuchâtel et une célèbre beauté de XVIe siècle: Jacqueline de Rohan-Gyé, Marquise de Rothelin (1520–86)”, Le Musée Neuchâtelois, No 1, 1992, pp3-11.
(with R. K. Marshall) “Iconography and Literature in the Service of Diplomacy: The Franco-Scottish Alliance, James V and Scotland’s two French Queens, Madeleine of France and Marie de Guise”, in “Stewart Style 1513–1542: Essays on the Court of James V”, Tuckwell Press, 1996, pp 273–88.
(with C.A. Mayer) “François Robertet: French civil servant, poet and artist”, Renaissance Studies, vol 11, no 3, 1997, pp 208–22.
“Clément Marot’s Etrennes aux Dames de la Court”, in “Renaissance Reflections: Essays in memory of C. A. Mayer”, Champion, Paris, 2002, pp 57–83.[2]
“Catherine de Medici and her two Spanish Granddaughters: Iconographical additions from a sixteenth century Book of Hours”, Gazette des Beaux Arts, décembre 2002, pp 307–18.
(with R. K. Marshall) “John Stewart, Duke of Albany, Lord Governor of Scotland, and his political role in 16th century France: a reassessment in the light of new information”, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol 133 (2003), pp 293–313.
(with P. M. Smith “A new iconographical addition to François I’s adoption of the persona of King David and its contemporary literary context”, Renaissance Studies, vol 21, 2007, pp 608–24.
“Iconographical supplements to the Biography of a French Renaissance Prince: Charles d’Angoulême 22 January 1522 – 9 September 1545”, Journal de la Renaissance, vol VI, 2008, pp 257–78.
Bernard Palissy, Protestant reformer, and master potter“A Question of Patronage: The links between Clément Marot, Antoine de Pons, Bernard Palissy and Anne de Montmorency in the Court of the Reform Movement in sixteenth century France”, in “Court and Humour in the French Renaissance: Essays in honour of Professor Pauline Smith”, Peter Lang, Bern, 20090, pp 81–92.
(with R. K. Marshall) “Royal relations: New Light on iconographical links between Mary Queen of Scots and ladies of the French Royal Family”, ROSC, vol 25, 2014, pp 26–41.
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