Crespo de Reigon, Asuncion. Honorable mention at the National Exhibition, Madrid, 1860. Member of the Academy of San Fernando, 1839. Pupil of her father. To the exhibition in 1860 she sent a "Magdalen in the Desert," "The Education of the Virgin," "The Divine Shepherdess," "A Madonna," and a "Venus." Her works have been seen in many public exhibitions. In 1846 she exhibited a miniature of Queen Isabel II. Many of her pictures are in private collections.
Cromenburch, Anna von. In the Museum of Madrid are four portraits by this artist: "A Lady of the Netherlands," which belonged to Philip IV.; "A Lady and Child," "A Lady with her Infant before Her," and another "Portrait of a Lady." The catalogue of the Museum gallery says: "It is not known in what place or in what year this talented lady was born. She is said to have belonged to an old and noble family of Friesland. At any rate, she was an excellent portrait painter, and flourished about the end of the sixteenth century. The Museo del Prado is the only gallery in Europe which possesses works signed by this distinguished artist."
Dahn-Fries, Sophie. Born in Munich. 1835-98. This artist was endowed with unusual musical and artistic talent. After the education of her only son, she devoted herself to painting, principally of landscape and flowers. After 1868, so long as she lived she was much interested in Frau von Weber's Art School for Girls. In 1886, when a financial crisis came, Mme. Dahn-Fries saved the enterprise from ruin. She exhibited, in 1887, two pictures which are well known—"Harvest Time" and "Forest Depths."
Damer, Mrs. Anne Seymour. Family name Conway. 1748-1828. She was a granddaughter of the Duke of Argyle, a relative of the Marquis of Hertford, and a cousin of Horace Walpole. Her education was conducted with great care; the history of ancient nations, especially in relation to art, was her favorite study. She had seen but few sculptures, but was fascinated by them, and almost unconsciously cherished the idea that she could at least model portraits and possibly give form to original conceptions.
Allan Cunningham wrote of her thus: "Her birth entitled her to a life of ease and luxury; her beauty exposed her to the assiduity of suitors and the temptations of courts; but it was her pleasure to forget all such advantages and dedicate the golden hours of her youth to the task of raising a name by working in wet clay, plaster of Paris, stubborn marble, and still more intractable bronze."
Before she had seriously determined to attempt the realization of her dreams, she was brought to a decision by a caustic remark of the historian, Hume. Miss Conway was one day walking with him when they met an Italian boy with plaster vases and figures to sell. Hume examined the wares and talked with the boy. Not long after, in the presence of several other people, Miss Conway ridiculed Hume's taste in art; he answered her sarcastically and intimated that no woman could display as much science and genius as had entered into the making of the plaster casts she so scorned.
This decided her to test herself, and, obtaining wax and the proper tools, she worked industriously until she had made a head that she was willing to show to others. She then presented it to Hume; it has been said that it was his own portrait, but we do not know if this is true. At all events, Hume was forced to commend her work, and added that modelling in wax was very easy, but to chisel in marble was quite another task. Piqued by this scant praise she worked on courageously, and before long showed her critic a copy of the wax head done in marble.
Though Hume genuinely admired certain portions of this work, it is not surprising that he also found defects in it. Doubtless his critical attitude stimulated the young sculptress to industry; but the true art-impulse was awakened, and her friends soon observed that Miss Conway was no longer interested in their usual pursuits. When the whole truth was known, it caused much comment. Of course ladies had painted, but to work with the hands in wet clay and be covered with marble dust—to say the least, Miss Conway was eccentric.
She at once began the study of anatomy under Cruikshanks, modelling with Cerrachi, and the handling of marble in the studio of Bacon.