Jenny Eakin Delony facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jenny Eakin Delony
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Self portrait
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| Born | May 13, 1866 |
| Died | April 1, 1949 (aged 82) |
| Resting place | Oakland Cemetery, Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Nationality | American |
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Jenny Eakin Delony (1866–1949) was an American artist and teacher. She was also known as Jenny Eakin Delony Rice and Jenny Meyrowitz. Jenny was famous for painting portraits of important people and historical figures in the United States. She also created small miniature paintings, beautiful landscapes, wildlife art, still life pictures, and everyday scenes. Jenny was a pioneer in art education, starting college-level art classes in Arkansas.
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Becoming an Artist: Early Life and Training
Jenny Eakin Delony was born in Washington, Arkansas, on May 13, 1866. Her father, Alchyny Turner Delony, was a lawyer.
Studying Art and Music
Jenny showed talent early on. She won a gold medal for both music and art while studying at the Wesleyan Female Institution in Virginia.
She began her serious art training at the Art Academy of Cincinnati from 1886 to 1888. After that, she spent at least two years in Paris, France. There, she studied at famous art schools like the Académie Julian and the Académie Delécluse. She also learned from the painter Paul-Louis Delance.
Later, Jenny studied at the St. Louis School of Fine Arts from 1892 to 1893. Before 1895, she also studied in Venice, Italy, with the painter Stefano Novo.
Breaking Barriers in Paris
In 1896, Jenny entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. This was a big deal because it was the very first year women were allowed to study there! In the same year, she was among the first women to study artistic anatomy at the École de Médecine in Paris. She also learned from the American painter William Merritt Chase. She even worked as his personal secretary at his summer art school in New York.
Jenny Delony's Art Career
Jenny Eakin Delony was one of the first female artists from Arkansas to become well-known. She gained a reputation both in the United States and around the world. She was a member of important art groups like the American Artists Professional League and the National Association of Women Artists. She was also one of the first women to join and show her art at the National Academy of Design.
Starting as a Portrait Painter
Jenny opened her first art studios in Little Rock, Arkansas. In the 1880s and 1890s, she painted portraits of many important people in the state. She showed her art at big exhibitions across the country. These included the World Cotton Centennial in New Orleans (1884) and the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893). She won many awards for her paintings.
Becoming an Art Educator
Jenny also spent time teaching art. She taught in Virginia for three years. From 1897 to 1899, she became the first Director of Art for Arkansas Industrial University. This school later became the University of Arkansas (UA) in Fayetteville. She helped start college-level art education in the state.
Moving to New York City
In 1900, Jenny moved to New York City. She was interested in women's rights and the suffrage movement, which fought for women's right to vote. In 1903, she showed her art at the National Academy of Arts. Her tiny miniature painting of Queen Victoria was even displayed at Tiffany's!
In 1904, Jenny was chosen to represent American women artists at the International Council of Women in Berlin, Germany. This showed how important she was as both an artist and a supporter of women's rights. In 1905, her portrait of Hetty Green, known as the "richest woman in America," was featured in New York Times. This made Jenny famous almost overnight! This portrait is now at the Historic Arkansas Museum.
Later Life in Arkansas
Around 1935, Jenny retired from the busy New York art scene. She moved back to Little Rock, Arkansas. She lived with her sister Daisy in her parents' old home. Jenny Eakin Delony passed away in 1949 and is buried in Little Rock.
Jenny Delony's Artworks and Collections
You can see many of Jenny Delony's paintings in public collections today. Here are some examples of her portraits:
- A Southern Gentleman is at Historic Washington State Park.
- Several works, including a portrait of an African American, are at the Historic Arkansas Museum.
- She painted Jefferson Davis, who was the president of the Confederacy, for the Arkansas State Capital.
- She also painted Mrs. Jefferson Davis (Varina Davis) for the American Civil War Museum in Richmond, Virginia.
- Portraits of Governor George Washington Donaghey and others are at the Arkansas History Commission.
- Governor Thomas Chipman McRae's portrait is at the Arkansas State Capitol.
- Bishop Henry Niles Pierce's portrait is in the office of the Diocese of Arkansas in Little Rock.
She also created portraits of other notable figures like Hetty Green and Spencer Trask. Her painting of La Grange College of Alabama is at the Museum of Tennessee Valley Historic Society.
In 2007, her work was part of the "Women Artists in Arkansas" exhibition at the Historic Arkansas Museum.
See also
In Spanish: Jenny Eakin Delony para niños
