Synopsis:

Essays and the illustrated art of a leading woman Impressionist of the late 19th Century and first half of the 20th Century, Euphemia Charlton Fortune. Born with a cleft palate in Sausalito, California, she survived the San Francisco earthquake and fire and went to to win a silver medal from the Paris Salons, a gold medal for design from the American Institute of Architects, and a medal from the Pope for interior church design across the United States. As befits the idea (not always true) of artists work receiving true monetary recognition only after their deaths, a painting by Fortune of the Monterey, California waterfront sold at auction for $1.8-million in December of 2007.

Book Excerpt:

"Fortune was alive to the political life and social strife around her. She wrote of a trip to Ireland in which she and her mother were 'searched for bombs and things' at a train station, and . . . the first thing they saw was 'the wrecked Custom House, a monument to Easter Week' . . . 'I don't know which are the worst, the Catholics or the Protestants. I bought a Belfast evening paper and noticed the advertisement columns. `Wanted: a kitchen maid for Portadown, must be R.C.' `Wanted, boot boy for nobleman's house, must be Protestant' . . . and I think THAT IS WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH IRELAND!!!!''

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Author Comment:

I was co-author of this book, which was edited by Janet Howell, with William H. Gerdts, Penny Perlmutter and Tina Santi Flaherty. I'm writing a play on Fortune, a woman who, in addition to being supremely gifted, was also courageous.

Topics/Categories:

Art

Type of Work:

Book

Publishers:

Carmel Art Association

Purchase From:

Carmel Art
John Moran
Hauk Fine Arts

Original Publish Date:

1999-04-29

Formats:

Hardcover Paperback