Elfriede Abbe facts for kids

Elfriede Martha Abbe (born 1919, died 2012) was an American artist. She was known for her amazing sculptures, wood engravings, and drawings of plants. Elfriede loved to show nature and simple country life in her art, inspired by her home in Upstate New York. She even made her own books by hand, printing them herself in her studio!

Who Was Elfriede Abbe?

Elfriede Abbe was born in Washington, D.C., in 1919. She studied architecture at Cornell University, graduating in 1940. She also attended Syracuse University.

Elfriede's Career and Art

From 1942 until 1974, Elfriede worked as an illustrator at Cornell University. This means she drew pictures for books and other materials there. After she retired, she moved to Vermont. She lived and worked in Manchester until she passed away in 2012. Even after retiring, she kept making art and writing books about art and nature.

Her sculpture called "The Hunter" was even shown at the famous 1939 New York World's Fair. This was a very big event where people from all over the world came to see new inventions and art.

Awards and Recognition

Elfriede Abbe received several important awards for her artwork. These awards show how much her art was appreciated by others:

• Barrett-Colea Prize from the National Sculpture Society
• Elliot Liskin Award from the Salmagundi Club
• Gold medal from the National Arts Club
• Gold medal from Pen & Brush
• Fellowship from The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation

Where Can You See Elfriede Abbe's Art?

Elfriede Abbe's artwork is part of many important art collections across the United States. This means her pieces are kept in museums and universities for people to see and study. Some of these places include:

• Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Cornell University in Ithaca, New York
• Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City
• National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
• New York Botanical Garden in Bronx, New York
• Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts
• Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut

Books Written and Illustrated by Elfriede Abbe

Elfriede Abbe was also an author and illustrator of many books. She often created the woodcut illustrations for her own books. Here are some of her published works:

• The Plants of Virgil's Georgics: Commentary and Woodcuts By Elfriede Abbe (1965)
• Seven Irish Tales (1957)
• Mushrooms: Wood Engravings in Color (1970)
• How Prints Are Made (1971)
• An Introduction to Hand-made Paper (1972)
• The Fern Herbal: Including the Ferns, the Horsetails, and the Club Mosses (1981)

Images for kids

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  Sixth Day by Elfriede Abbe

See also

In Spanish: Elfriede Abbe para niños