Helen Maitland Armstrong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helen Maitland Armstrong
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| Born | October 14, 1869 |
| Died | November 26, 1948 (aged 79) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | stained glass artist |
| Parent(s) | Maitland Armstrong |
Helen Maitland Armstrong (1869–1948) was a talented American artist. She was famous for creating beautiful stained glass windows. She worked with her father, Maitland Armstrong, and also on her own. Many people think her work was some of the best in America during her time.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Helen Maitland Armstrong was born in 1869 in Florence, Italy. Her father, Maitland Armstrong, was an American diplomat and a stained glass artist. Her mother, Helen, came from a well-known family. Helen had six brothers and sisters. One sister, Margaret Neilson Armstrong, became a book designer.
When Helen was nine years old, a famous sculptor named Augustus Saint-Gaudens made a bronze portrait of her. She later studied at the Art Students League of New York. However, she learned most of her art skills from her father. He even made her a junior partner in his art company.
Creating Stained Glass Art
Helen Armstrong mostly designed stained glass windows for churches. But she also created mosaics, murals, and illustrations for books. The stained glass she made, both with her father and by herself, is considered very special. It is often compared to the work of famous artists like Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. These artists were friends with Helen and her father.
Helen was one of the first women artists to use new stained glass techniques. These methods were developed by La Farge and Tiffany. Her earliest works are from the 1890s. In 1893, a drawing for one of her stained glass windows was shown at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. This was a big world's fair.
Working with Her Father
Helen and her father worked together on many stained glass windows. Many of these windows were made to remember people. They created windows for churches in places like St. Louis, Missouri, and Rye, New York. They also designed windows for the Jekyl Island Chapel in Georgia and Vassar College.
Helen's Solo Projects
Helen Armstrong also created many stained glass windows by herself. The New York Times newspaper called her solo work "exceptional." She designed windows for dozens of churches and chapels. She also worked on a government building and several private homes.
One interesting project was for Alva Belmont. Helen designed 16 windows for a private mausoleum (a building for burials) in Woodlawn Cemetery. She used a special 15th-century technique for these windows.
A window she made for St. Andrew's Dune Church in Southampton, New York, was blown out by a huge storm in 1938. This storm was called the Great New England Hurricane. Amazingly, the window was found half a mile away, still in one piece!
Her Masterpiece Window
Many people believe Helen Armstrong's most important work is the east window at Old St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Baltimore, Maryland. She created this window around 1904. It shows the glorification of God and is the main focus inside the church. Above it is a painting of the Lamb of God. Below it is a stone altar screen made by Louis Comfort Tiffany. This screen has other Christian symbols, like the peacock, which stands for new life.
Other Artistic Works
Besides stained glass, Helen Armstrong also illustrated books. She worked for a publisher called A.C. McClurg. She even illustrated some books with her sister Margaret. One book they worked on together was Memories: A Story of German Love in 1906.
Later Life and Legacy
Helen Armstrong passed away on November 26, 1948. She died in the same house in New York City where she grew up. She was buried in the cemetery at Christ Episcopal Church in Marlboro, New York.
Today, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has a collection of her drawings and watercolors. These include designs for her stained glass windows, an altarpiece, and a mural. Her work continues to be admired for its beauty and skill.
Selected Solo Commissions
- Christ's Church (Marlborough, New York)
- Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Bernardsville, New Jersey)
- City Hall (Paterson, New Jersey)
- Sailors’ Snug Harbor Chapel (Staten Island, New York)
- St. Andrew's Dune Church (Southampton, New York)
- St. John's Church (Williamstown, Massachusetts)
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Baltimore, Maryland)
- Trinity Church (Newport, Rhode Island)
- Unitarian Church (Washington, DC)
See also
In Spanish: Helen Maitland Armstrong para niños
