Minna Keene facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Minna Keene
Born	(1859-02-05)February 5, 1859 Rumbeck (Hessisch Oldendorf), Germany
Died	November 1943 (aged 83–84) Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Nationality	Canadian
Known for	Photography

Minna Keene (born February 5, 1859 – died November 1943) was a very successful photographer. She was born in Germany and taught herself photography. Minna Keene was known for her beautiful portrait photos. These photos often looked like paintings, a style called Pictorialism.

Minna Keene lived in several countries during her life. She was born in Rumbeck, Germany. Later, she lived in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Canada. She married Caleb Keene in 1887. Minna Keene passed away in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, in 1943.

She was one of the first female members of a group called the Linked Ring. This group wanted to show that photography was a true art form, not just a science. Minna Keene was also a member of the London Salon of Photography. She was the first woman to become a fellow of the Royal Photographic Society. This was a big achievement for a female photographer at that time.

Minna Keene's Life Story

Minna Bergmann was born Doris Wilhelmine Charlotte Töneböne. She was born in Rumbeck, Germany, on February 5, 1859. Her mother was Dorothea Charlotte Töneböne. Minna later took the name Bergmann.

In 1887, Minna married Caleb Keene in London, England. Caleb's brother, Elmer Ezra Keene, was also a photographer. Minna started submitting her photos to competitions in the late 1890s. She had good success in art journals and photographic clubs.

Moving to Canada and New Opportunities

Around 1913, Minna Keene moved to Canada. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) hired her to photograph the Rocky Mountains. She took these amazing photos between 1914 and 1915. In 1920, she opened her own photography studio in Toronto. Two years later, in 1922, she moved her studio to Oakville.

Even though female photographers like Minna Keene were very talented, they were not always treated equally. Minna won many awards and opened studios in different countries. However, when a magazine wrote about her in 1926, they focused on her being a "charming hostess." They did not highlight her amazing artistic skills as much. Minna's daughter, Violet Keene, also became a photographer.

Achievements and Recognition

Minna Keene received an important award for her photography.

• 1908: She became a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain. This is a high honor in the world of photography.

Notable Exhibitions

Minna Keene's work was shown in many important art shows.

• 1910: Fifty-fifth Annual Exhibition of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain
• 1911: Fifty-sixth Annual Exhibition of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain
• 1913: Fifty-eighth Annual Exhibition of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain
• 1983: Rediscovery: Canadian Women Photographers 1841-1941, London, Ontario, Canada
• 2016: Painting with Light: Art and Photography from the Pre-Raphaelites to the Modern Age, Tate Britain, London.

Where Her Work is Kept

Minna Keene's photographs are part of important collections.

• Science and Society Picture Library, Science Museum Group, London
• The National Archives, Kew, London

Images for kids

• 

  Pomegranates by Minna Keene (1910).