Set in the late 19th century, the narrative follows Harriet Hubbard Ayer, a pioneering female entrepreneur who founded the first woman-operated cosmetic company in New York City. Through her innovative products and advocacy for women's health and beauty, she empowered countless women. Facing betrayal and hostility from men in her life, she endured legal battles and even wrongful commitment to an asylum. Ultimately, Ayer emerged as a prominent newspaper editor, redefining her legacy and the role of women in business and media.
"At the height of his career as the leader of the Hudson River School of American landscape painting, Thomas Cole listed himself in the New York City Directory as an architect. Why would this renowned painter, who had never before designed a building, advertise himself as such? The importance of Cole's paintings and the significance of his essays, poems, and philosophy are well established, yet an analysis of his architectural endeavors and their impact on his painting has not been undertaken--until now. In celebration of the recreation of the artist's self-designed Italianate studio at Cedar Grove in Catskill, New York, now the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, this book focuses on Cole's architectural interests through architectural elements found in his paintings and drawings as well as in his realized and visionary projects, expanding our understanding of the breadth of his talents and interests. An essay by noted art historian Annette Blaugrund and a contribution by Franklin Kelly, illustrated with Cole's famous works, sketches, and architectural renderings, reveal an unexplored, yet fascinating, aspect of the career of this beloved artist--and thus, a crucial moment in the development of the Hudson River School and American art."--Publisher's description
An exploration of nineteenth-century American landscape painter Thomas Cole and the influential role of his studio for other artists of the Hudson River School. In December 1846, Thomas Cole excitedly began work in his new studio, but his early death left his great ambitions unfinished. His influence, both through works from his early career and ones he worked on in a self-designed studio during his final year, was truly profound for others who followed his example. In Thomas Cole's Studio: Memory and Inspiration, the artist's achievements and impact on future artists are described by renowned Cole scholar Franklin Kelly, along with contributions from three additional authors. Together, they offer a new understanding of the critical last phase of Cole's career and his lasting effect on other artists, as well as his unrealized ambitions.
