biography of Florence ESTE (1860-1926)

Birth place: Cincinnati, OH

Death place: Paris, France

Addresses: Phila., 1879-87; Paris, France, from 1888

Profession: Landscape painter, pastelist, etcher, engraver

Studied: Robert-Fleury, Paris, 1874; PAFA, with Thomas Eakins and others, 1876-82 (except 1877-78); Philadelphia School of Design for Women, with Wm. Sartain, 1886-87; in Paris with A. Nozal and at Acad. Colarossi with and Raphael Collins, during her later years

Exhibited: PAFA, 1877-87, 1900-12; Paris Salon, 1888-89, 1892, 1894; World's Columbian Expo, Chicago, 1893; SNBA, 1895-99; Armory Show, 1913; Brooklyn AA; Boston AC; American WC Soc.; SC; PAFA (prize for water color, 1925); Women Etchers of Am." (N.Y.); Plastic Club, "Exhibition of Eminent Women Painters," (1923); NY Etching Cl.; AIC; Salon de la Soc. Nat. des Beaux-Arts, 1894 "

Member: Phila WCC (hon. member); Soc. Nat. des Beaux-Arts

Work: PAFA; Luxembourg Gal.

Comments: During her first trip to Paris in 1874, Este worked in friend Emily Sartain's Paris studio. After returning to Phila., she studied at the Pennsylvania Academy with a number of other students who would become part of the etching revival, including Gabrielle Clements, Blanche Dillaye, Phoebe D. Natt, Margaret Lesley (Bush-Brown), Margaret Levin (Farrell), Mary Franklin, and Joseph Pennell. Etchers Stephen Parrish and Stephen Ferris were enrolled in the men's life class. EstÈ learned to etch on Stephen Parrish's press in 1884. Moved permanently to Paris in 1888.

Sources: WW17; info. courtesy of Stephanie A. Strass, Reston, VA; P. Peet, Am. Women of the Etching Revival, 55; Fink, American Art at the Nineteenth-Century Paris Salons, 341; Brown, The Story of the Armory Show.