Elfriede Martha Abbe (February 6, 1919 – December 31, 2012) was an American sculptor, wood engraver and botanical illustrator, often displaying nature and simple country living inspired by her Upstate New York home. A self-publisher, Abbe created numerous hand-printed books, which she printed on a printing press in her studio.
Elfriede Abbe | |
|---|---|
| Born | Elfriede Martha Abbe February 6, 1919[1] Washington, DC[1] |
| Died | December 31, 2012 (aged 93)[1] |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Cornell University |
| Known for | Sculpture Engraving Illustrator |
Early life and career
Elfriede Abbe was born in Washington, D.C. in 1919.[2] Her statue "The Hunter" was featured at the 1939 New York World's Fair in New York.[3] She graduated from Cornell University in 1940,[4] earning a degree in architecture, and attended Syracuse University.[2] From 1942 until her retirement in 1974 she was an illustrator at Cornell.[4]
Later life
After retiring from Cornell, she lived and worked in Vermont. She lived in Manchester[5] until her death in 2012. During her retirement, she published on art and natural history, continuing to produce artwork throughout her life.
Notable awards
- Barrett-Colea Prize; National Sculpture Society
- Elliot Liskin Award; Salmagundi Club
- Gold; National Arts Club
- Gold; Pen & Brush
- Fellowship; The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation[5]
Notable collections
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[6]
- Cornell University, Ithaca, New York[7]
- Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City[8][9][10]
- National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.[11]
- New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York[12]
- Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts[13]
- Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut[14]
Published works
- Abbe, Elfriede. The Plants of Virgil's Georgics: Commentary and Woodcuts By Elfriede Abbe. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1965. ISBN 0-8014-0001-5
- Abbe, Elfriede. Seven Irish Tales. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1957.[15]
- Abbe, Elfriede. Mushrooms: Wood Engravings in Color. Elfriede Abbe, 1970.[16]
- Abbe, Elfriede. How Prints Are Made. Manchester, Vt.: South Vermont Art Center Press, 1971.[17]
- Abbe, Elfriede. An Introduction to Hand-made Paper. Manchester, Vt.: Southern Vermont Art Center Press, 1972.[18]
- Abbe, Elfriede. The Fern Herbal: Including the Ferns, the Horsetails, and the Club Mosses. Ithaca: Comstock, 1981.[19]
References
External links
- Elfriede Abbe papers, 1948–1978 in the collection of the Archives of American Art
- Elfriede Abbe papers, 1840–1910 in the collection of the Cornell University Library