She won the Queen's prize at the end of her first year, which granted her £60 annually for three years and an additional £10 directly from Queen Victoria's personal budget "in token of high approval" of her work. After studying in London for a year, she decided to continue her studies in Italy, thereby forfeiting the prize. Holmes studied the human figure with Giuseppe Cammarano and landscape painting with Achille Vertunni in Venice or in Rome.
She won the Queen's prize at the end of her first year, which provided her with £60 annually for three years and an additional £10 directly from Queen Victoria's personal budget "in token of high approval" of her work. After studying in London for a year, she decided to continue her studies in Italy, thereby forfeiting the prize. Holmes studied the human figure with Giuseppe Cammarano and landscape painting with Achille Vertunni in Venice or in Rome.