Memories of a time long past are presented in memoriam of a young woman who lost her life in her beloved garden. Murdered in cold blood by an enraged fiancé, the end of Anne was tragic and quick. Through artwork and narrative, The End of Anne by Su Jackson tells a story of an educated, talented, and spirited teenager who cherished every moment of her brief life.

The End of Anne exhibit ran from 11.27.23 through 12.15.23 in the Visual Arts Office in Chalmers Hall at The University of Kansas. You can view the exhibit as it was installed in the gallery by clicking the button below. Read on for a more detailed version of The End of Anne.

The End of Anne

Although her birth was at the expense of her mother, Anne enriched the lives of everyone around her. A jewel in her father’s eye, she was pampered and presented with privilege unlike many have ever seen. But it was her Aunt Lucille who kept Anne grounded. Adeline’s only sister, she took her niece under her care immediately after birth. Taking care not to be too motherly, Lucille loved Anne beyond measure and raised her while William was unable.

A wealthy merchant who spent most of his adult life traveling to exotic places in search of rare objects, William was not a typical father. While Lucille took charge of Anne’s daily needs, William provided stability and status through his successful business and extraordinary wealth. After the death of his wife, he found the most peace while away from the family estate. His travels took him far out into the world where he bought and sold a variety of exclusive goods, gemstones, and antiquities. Every time he would return home, he would have something exquisite to present to his daughter.

As the years passed, William began to gift other gems to Anne including amethyst. He purchased clusters and geodes of the deepest purple, knowing that they would remind her of the flowers in the garden. The first time Anne saw amethyst, she fell in love. A love outmatched only by her beautiful irises.

Anyone who knew Anne well knew of her love of nature. From a young age, she would play outdoors and collect all types of plants and flowers. As she advanced in age, she began her studies in botany and spent a great deal of her time planting and tending to all types of flora. Anne’s favorite place was in her own garden on the edge of the Wallace estate. Quite a distance from the home but not so far that Aunt Lucille would lose sight of her, the garden would sing praises of purple in the springtime when various species of irises would bloom.

Gardening was not Anne’s only talent and was actually one of her lesser proficiencies. From an early age, she demonstrated advanced intellect and was tutored at a rigorous pace. By 13, she could speak fluent Italian and French and was an accomplished cellist. Ultimately, her love of music and nature combined and she often played her cello in her garden.

Aunt Lucille, a well-known artist and designer, would often make lavish garments and accessories for Anne with the textiles and gemstones brought home by William. One of her favorite ensembles was a dress and tiara that she made for Anne’s performances in the garden. Coined “The Cello Fairy” dress and tiara, together they highlighted the color purple and incorporated floral elements.

Very little is known regarding the death of William aside from the fact that it changed Anne forever. After he died, Anne stopped attending social events and kept mostly to herself at home with Aunt Lucille. In the spring and summer she would tend her garden, continuing to practice and play her cello outside when the weather was mild. Lucille would frequent the garden as well, resting in the shade of blooming wisteria. With William gone, the two became quite inseparable and it has been suggested that their bond is what may have caused Anne’s demise.

Prior to William’s death, he established the promise of a marital union between Anne and a young man from another wealthy family. The pair initially maintained amicable relations but after her father’s death, Anne became quite disenchanted with the idea of marriage. She had grown to enjoy her life with her aunt and due to her inheritance, neither needed nor wanted the attentions of a man. It was this mentality to led to a fateful dispute on the day of Anne’s death.

Tending to flowers in her garden, her fiancé pressed Anne to set a date for their nuptial. Growing tired of his presence, she finally admitted that she no longer wished to marry. He immediately became upset and argued that the arrangement made by her father was valid and withstanding. Anne denied the declaration and insisted that she was capable of making her own life decisions and did not need any man telling her what she could or could not do. The fiancé returned with an apparent slight about William and how he died. This angered Anne so much that she slapped the man across the cheek. She turned away and began walking toward the safety of her home.

Unfortunately, her fate was sealed as the fiancé grabbed Anne’s garden blade from the ground and approached her from behind. Before she could defend herself from his advance, he slit her throat and stabbed the blade into her back. She fell onto the grass and lay dying as he ran from the grounds.

Aunt Lucille had overheard the arguing couple and had come out onto her bedroom balcony just as Anne was struck. Screaming out her niece’s name, she ran through the house and out onto the lawn. By the time she reached Anne, she had slipped into unconsciousness. Lucille cried out for the staff and they came to her aid immediately. Amidst the chaos, someone phoned the authorities and soon the police arrived. By then, Anne had quietly passed away in the arms of her aunt who was inconsolable with grief. It is said that it took three grown men to pry Anne’s body from Lucille’s embrace.

Lucille hardly spoke to anyone after her niece drew her last breath. She spent most of her days sitting in the conservatory, mindlessly gazing out the windows toward the memory of her beloved Anne. Lucille died of a broken heart on the eve of the fifth anniversary of her niece’s death. She was survived by no one but left one item behind…a journal. Within its sorted pages were secrets that would tarnish the Wallace family name forever.

A word from the author and artist:

Thank you so very much for taking the time to read this story and to support my work. I am grateful to so many individuals for their influence and encouragement. Many thanks to my husband, my children, and to every professor I have encountered at Johnson County Community College and The University of Kansas.

If you have read this far, you deserve a little treat. There is a hidden meaning behind the name of this narrative and exhibition. It has to do with my birth name, Suzanne. As many people know, I now go by the name Su. When I spell it out, people always expect the “e” to come at the end but I simply prefer “Su”. Over the years and even to this day, people mispronounce my name. In conversation, I may say my name clearly yet people call me Susan or Susannah. Not one for making an issue out of it, I rarely correct people but obviously have grown tired of the constant mispronunciation. Years ago while studying fashion, I decided to stop using my full name and simply go by Su. Now you know why Anne had to come to an end. :-)

Lastly, please revisit this page in the future as I intend to continue this story by exploring the contents of Lucille’s scandalous journal entries.

To be continued…