Exhibited in La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art. Impressionist oil on board. 8 x6 in., 10 1/4 x 8 1/4 in. (framed). Anna Marie Valentien (Mrs. Albert R. Valentien)* b. Cincinnati, Ohio February 27, 1862 
d. San Diego, California August 25, 1947Anna’s parents, Karl and Magdalene Bookprinter, emigrated from Germany in 1848, Settling in Cincinnati. Initially studying at the McMichen University School of Design, Anna later worked with the woodcarver Benn Pitman. In 1884, she accepted a position with the Rookwood Pottery and there she met Albert Valentien whom she married in 1887. While working for Rookwood, she continued her studies at the Cincinnati Art Academy where her instructors included Frank Duveneck. She also studied sculpture under Louis T. Rebizzo, and had Solon Borglum as a classmate.For the Chicago exposition of 1893, Anna modeled a life-size figure of Ariadne that received much critical acclaim. Her work continued to win prizes including a gold medal at the Atlanta Exposition of 1895 for a life-size Hero Waiting for Leander. In 1899, she accompanied her husband to Europe where she enrolled at the Academy Colorossi, studying with Jean Antonin Injalbert and also at the Academy Rodin under Emile Bourdelle, Jules Des Bois and Auguste Rodin. Anna had the honor of having one of her pieces, a bronze relief portrait of her husband (now in the collection of the San Diego Historical Society), accepted for the Paris Salon of 1900.Moving to San Diego in 1908, Anna was involved with craft work as well as sculpture. She and Albert briefly operated a pottery company for which Anna produced some sculptural pieces. Starting in 1914, Anna began a teaching career which included instruction in arts and crafts and eventually sculpture as well. Her most important student was Donal Hord who received his first professional training from her.At San Diego’s Panama California Exposition in 1915, Anna was awarded a gold medal for an Arts and Crafts exhibit which included pottery, leather, jewelry, china, and sculpture. The following year at the Panama California International Exposition she received two gold medals, one for a sculptured bust, and the second for another crafts exhibit. In 1919, her two batik opera bags were given the highest award and cash prize at the California State Fair.Albert died in 1925, and the following year Anna accompanied three other San Diego sculptors to Santa Barbara where they studied bronze casting at the Santa Barbara school of the Arts under Archibald Dawson from Glasgow. Late in life she again took up the study of painting, exhibiting and winning awards in that medium. She retired from teaching in 1938, but continued to encourage students and allowed them to use her studio.(Ref. Hughes; Kamerling, Bruce, “Anna and Albert Valentien: The Arts and Crafts movement in San Diego” JSDH Vol. XXIV, No. 3 (Summer, 1978); Moure)Source:\\\"Anna Marie Valentien,\\\" Early Sculpture and Sculptors in San Diego, by Bruce Kamerling, Curator of Collections, San Diego Historical Society, Web, Sep. 2016

Good condition