Nettleship was born in
Hampstead, the eldest of the three daughters of animal painter
John Trivett Nettleship and his wife Adaline, better known as
Ada Nettleship, dressmaker and daughter of
otologist James Hinton. Later in 1903, Nettleship's life with John was complicated when
Dorelia McNeill became John's model and mistress. From 1903 to 1907, the three lived together in a
ménage à trois, first at
Matching Green in Essex and from 1905 in Paris. Nettleship had three further sons with John in quick succession: Robin (born 1904 in Essex), who became a linguist; Edwin (born 1905 in Paris), who became a boxer and watercolourist; and Henry (born 1907 in Paris), who became a religious philosopher. During this period, Dorelia also had children with John, in 1905 and 1906. Given John's limited income and the growing family, Nettleship eventually gave up painting to take care of the children and the housework. Although she found this wearisome and considered leaving John, she did not live long enough to do so. She died of
puerperal fever in Paris in 1907 after the birth of her fifth son, Henry John (1907–1935). Her mother arranged her cremation at the
Père Lachaise Cemetery. John remained with Dorelia after Nettleship's death, and they brought up Nettleship's children.
The Good Bohemian, an edition of Nettleship's letters, was published in 2017; it was edited by John's granddaughter Rebecca John and John's biographer
Michael Holroyd. ==References==