Kentucky Female Impressionist Katherine Swope Oil Painting Signed . Oil on canvas: SLR by Katherine Swope; dated 1915; 26 x 22; depicting elegant young woman
Swope, Katherine Wilhemina (Fichtner) (1868-1941)Born Louisville, Kentucky, in 1868. Her parents were John and Catherine Fichtner. He a building contractor. The family consisted of three sons and three daughters. Studied at NAD Teachers: Edgar Ward and Montgomery Flagg. Also Benjamin Rutherford Fitz. 1888 Won Honorable Mention (for students making marked progress) in the Antique School.Katherine married Charlton Armstrong Swope May 9, 1889, in New York. He was a travel-freight agent for Louisville & Nashville Railroad headquartered in New York. He was also the brother of H. Vance Swope, the artist.Exhibited NAD, Southern States Art League, 1895 (Gold Medal); AIC in 1902, Louisville, Alabama, 1927 (prize), Trans Mississippi Expo, Omaha: Philadelphia Art Club. Entertained friends for their fifth wedding anniversary in Louisville. Also included Alice and Rose Fichtner. (her sisters!)Source:Louisville Carrier-Journal (Newspaper) (Louisville, Kentucky) 13 May 1894.___Kentucky Art League, Henderson, Kentucky. 1st with Portrait Madonna also 2nd choice Childhood also by her. Popular vote, 17 May, 1896.14 June, 1896 pictured Childhood” also picture of Mrs. Kate Swope. Also Madonna Medal Southern Art League, at Henderson, KY.Louisville Art League Award for her Madonna and child”18 Nov 1897Article regarding exhibiting at Omaha by Louisville artists: exhibited Revelation May 8, 1898:Mrs. Charlton Swope’s work in New York. Louisville friends of Mrs. Charlton Swope who recently moved to New York to live, will be interested in learning of her recognition in art circles in the Metropolis. Had a watercolor hung at exhibit of New York watercolor Club in their exhibit at the Fine Arts Building. Also a watercolor hung at the Nat. Acad. of Design. Mrs. Swope was prominently identified with the Louisville Art League for a number of years and several of the finest pictures shown at its exhibits were the work of her hand. Source:Louisville Carrier Journal (Newspaper) (Louisville, Kentucky) 12 Mar 1899.Exhibit by the Rochester Art Club. “An oil by Mrs. Kate Swope of New York, called “Childhood,” the only canvas by this artist.” ---Source:Democrat/Chronicle (Newspaper) (Rochester, New York) 1 May 1899 Mrs. Kate Swope, of New York, the wife of Mr. Charlton Swope, formerly of this city, has a beautiful picture titled Love on exhibition at the twelfth annual exhibition of the New York Water color Club, which is being held at the galleries of the American Fine Arts Society. Source:Louisville Carrier-Journal (Newspaper) (Louisville, Kentucky) 14 Nov 1901.Interesting note: 1915-1917 New York city directories have her listed as at the same address as H. Vance Swope, Charleton’s brother. Different studio address. Apparently, this a home for numerous artists – example; Ed Dufner.Lived Richmond Hill, LI 1921Died Dec 3, 1941 in Louisville, Kentucky.Submitted by Edward P. Bentley, Art Researcher and Historian, Greenville, Michigan.

26 x 22 in