Louisa Davis Minot
Have you heard of Louisa Minot?
Her life story remains somewhat mysterious. We know she was an American artist who was born in 1788. She is only known to have painted two works, which were just recently discovered in the New York Historical Society collection; today we present one of them. We also still do not know how Minot acquired her artistic training. Her Niagara Falls paintings' exquisite attention to detail suggests that they are neither her first nor her only works. Beyond the sheer artistic talent displayed in these canvases, Louisa Minot is remarkable for tackling a subject that truly captures the realistic intensity of emotions associated with Niagara Falls.
Consider how close you would need to be to capture an image of Niagara Falls on your smartphone. Now, imagine having to sit for hours, without barriers or protection, to paint that same scene. Louisa Minot’s notable works deserve more than a passing glance. Besides being a talented painter, Louisa also produced collections of essays and other writings.
I hope the scholars will find more information about her soon!
P.S. If you'd like to learn more about forgotten women artists and patrons of art, be sure to check out our comprehensive online courses: French Impressionism Mega Online Course, The Art of the Renaissance Florence, and Cubism 101; now you can enroll with a 25% discount. :)
P.P.S. Louisa Minot was part of the Hudson River School, an American movement mostly associated with male artists. There was, however, a number of extremely talented women among them. Discover six female artists of the Hudson River School!