Mary Ellen Sigsbee
Mary Ellen Sigsbee | |
|---|---|
 1899 portrait sketch | |
| Born | February 26, 1876 New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Died | 1960 (aged 83–84) Woodstock, New York, United States |
| Occupation | Painter, illustrator, artist |
| Spouse(s) | William Balfour Ker, Anton Otto Fischer |
| Parent(s) | |
Mary Ellen Sigsbee (1876–1960), was an American artist and magazine illustrator.
Early life
Sigsby was born in New Orleans,[1] on February 26, 1876,[2] one of four daughters of Charles D. Sigsbee, who had been captain of the USS Maine during the Spanish-American War.[3][4][5]
Career
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Sigsbee studied at the Arts Students League.[6] One of her paintings was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1908 - a feat archived by few American women.[6]
A feminist and suffragist, Sisgbee designed posters for the American Woman Suffrage Association.[6][1] One of which, What breaks up the home? What will save the home? Votes for Women (circa 1917), is in the privately-held Ann Lewis Women's Suffrage Collection.[7]
From 1909 to 1917, and from 1930 to 1932, she made illustrations for the Evening Journal.[6][8] Her painting, The Christmas Peek, was used as the Christmas 1934 cover of the Saturday Evening Post.[8] She also produced work for Harper's Magazine.[9]
A copy of her print, "The new hand", is in the National Child Labor Committee Collection of the United States Library of Congress.[10]
Personal life
Sigsbee was married twice. His first marriage was to William Balfour Ker,[8] a fellow artist and socialist. The marriage was conducted against her father's wishes, after an 1898 elopement.[4] They first lived in Greenwich Village, but after a period working in Paris, the marriage failed[4] and they divorced in 1910.[8] They had a son, David (1906–1922).[11]
In 1912 she married the magazine illustrator Anton Otto Fischer.[8][11] They first lived in Bushnellsville, New York before moving to a house near the intersection of Elmendorf Street and Ten Broeck Avenue in nearby Kingston (the house still stands). they had a daughter, Katrina Sigsbee Fischer (1914–1998). The family eventually settled into a house off Glasco Turnpike in Woodstock, New York just prior to World War II.[12]
Sigsbee and both husbands were former students of illustrator Howard Pyle.[11] Her son David was adopted by Fischer.[11] During her marriages she used the names Sigsbee Ker and Sigsbee Fischer.[8]
Sigsbee died in 1960, at Woodstock.[1][5]
References
- ^ a b c "Mary Ellen Sigsbee". Spartacus Educational. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "Fischer, Mary Ellen Sigsbee". Benezit Dictionary of Artists. doi:10.1093/benz/9780199773787.article.b00064725. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "GUSTAV STICKLEY RARE CORNER CABINET". Bid Square. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ a b c "William Balfour Ker - Artist Biography for William Balfour Ker". Ask Art. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
- ^ a b "Mary Ellen Sigsbee (Ker) Fischer - Artist, Fine Art Prices, Auction Records for Mary Ellen Sigsbee (Ker) Fischer". Ask Art. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Artist Biography for Mary Ellen Sigsbee (Ker) Fischer". Ask Art. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
- ^ "Poster : What breaks up the home? What will save the home? Votes for Women. [Circa 1917]". Ann Lewis Women's Suffrage Collection. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Ker, William Balfour". schoonoverstudios.com. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ "Mary Ellen Sigsbee". Harper's Magazine. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "The new hand / Mary Ellen Sigsbee". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Anton Otto Fischer". Illustration History. Norman Rockwell Museum. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ Andre Mele lecture on his great-uncle, Anton Otto Fischer, September 24, 2011 on YouTube, September 24, 2011
External links
- Saturday Evening Post page including The Christmas Peek cover
- Mary Ellen Sigsbee at Find a Grave
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