Katherine Arthur Behenna facts for kids

Katherine Arthur Behenna (born 1860 – 21 September 1926) was a talented Scottish artist and writer. She was known for painting tiny portraits, writing poems, and speaking about spiritual ideas. She also supported women's right to vote. Sometimes, she used the pen names John Prendergast and John Prendregeist when writing articles.

Early Life and Education

Katherine Arthur was born in 1860 in Helensburgh, Scotland. She had a twin brother named William. Her father, Alexander Arthur, was from Montreal, Canada. Katherine grew up and studied in different places. She went to school in Montreal and Boston. She also attended famous art schools like the Art Students League of New York and the Académie Julian in Paris. In New York, she learned from well-known artists such as George de Forest Brush. In 1885, she married Henry Behenna.

Katherine's Creative Career

Painting Tiny Portraits

Katherine Behenna was famous for painting miniature portraits. These were very small, detailed pictures, often painted on ivory. She painted many wealthy Americans from the late 1800s, a time known as the Gilded Age. One of her famous subjects was Antoinette Polk, Baroness de Charette. She also painted a portrait of Louise, Princess Royal, a member of the British royal family.

Miniature portrait of Antoinette Polk done by Katherine Arthur Behenna.

Her artwork was shown in important galleries. These included the Royal Academy of Arts in London. In 1906, she created five large art panels called The Path of the Soul. These were displayed at the Tiffany Glass Building in New York. Later, she moved to Étaples, France. There, she joined a group of artists known as the Etaples art colony.

Helping During World War I

In 1915, Katherine Behenna played an important role during World War I. She helped organize the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire. This group worked to coordinate women's efforts to help with the war. She set up new branches of the organization in New York and Baltimore. Katherine was also a suffragist. This means she strongly believed that women should have the right to vote.

A Mysterious Disappearance

In 1907, Katherine had a strange experience. She was in Ottawa, Canada, to show her miniature paintings. She was also there to paint Lady Evelyn Grey, whose father was the Governor General. Suddenly, Katherine disappeared, and the police started looking for her. She later explained why she left. She said she felt disappointed by the "petty malice" and "lack of courtesy" she found there. She decided to take a train to Virginia.

Exploring Spiritualism

Katherine Behenna was very interested in spiritualism. This is the belief that spirits of the dead can communicate with the living. In 1899, she told reporters that a spirit named Helios had contacted her. Helios supposedly told her where to find a gold mine. The spirit also told her to follow a special diet. Helios also instructed her to write a long poem about Ramesses II, an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. In 1921, she published a short book of poems called Mystic Songs of Fire and Flame. She claimed these poems came to her "through auditory control" from the spirit world. She used the pen names John Prendregeist and John Prendergast. She thought the name "Prendregeist" meant "to grasp the spirit."

In 1921, Katherine gave talks in Washington, D.C. She spoke about how "Color: Its Effect on Human Health." She also read her poetry at the Arts Club of Washington. In 1922, she visited Montreal to lecture on "The Coming Race." In 1923, she shared her belief that "the time will come... when everyone must live right, and think pure thought." She believed that soon, everyone would be able to read each other's minds.

Personal Life and Legacy

Katherine Arthur married Henry Carstairs Behenna in 1885. They divorced shortly after. They had a daughter named Vivian Margaret Behenna. Katherine Behenna passed away in 1926. She was found unconscious in her studio in Chelsea. It seems she had recently visited China and used toxic products to dye her hair.

Today, many of Katherine Behenna's miniature portraits are kept at the New-York Historical Society. These artworks help us remember her unique talent.