A page from a scrapbook in which is inserted a picture of a young woman's face (in detail) and shoulders (much sketchier than the face). There are fronds from a real plant taped around the drawing - now dried from age. Handwritten in black on the scrapbook is the legend "The Belle of Bello Sguardo etched on copper by Miss Alexander." Under the legend in the left corner the same hand wrote "Florence / Nov. 13th 1858." Across from it, in the lower right corner, is written "given me by Miss Alexander / Nov 11th 1858."

The Belle of Bello Sguardo / Carolina Nardi, 1858, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917), who was born #otd, Feb 27. Held by the NYPL. Reproduced "The Art and Life of Francesca Alexander: 1837-1917," by J. M. Musacchio, ( @lhartbooks.bsky.social, 2025),
www.lundhumphries.com/products/the...

A very faint pen and ink drawing in an arched frame, of the Virgin holding the Christ Child kneeling across a manger from St. Joseph, also kneeling. Between them are front views of two cows. Above them all, under the arch of the frame, is a star.

#Nativity, late 1850s, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917). Held by Wellesley College Special Collections. Reproduced in "The Art and Life of Francesca Alexander: 1837-1917," by JM Musacchio, www.lundhumphries.com/products/the... #artherstory #womenartists #MerryChristmas

A drawing of 14 women and children around a small decorated Christmas tree in the center of the artwork. There are six people on either side, and two people seated on a cushion, facing the tree with their backs to the viewer.

#Christmas, early 1860s, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917). Held by @wellesley.edu Special Collections. Reproduced in "The Art and Life of Francesca Alexander: 1837-1917," by Jacqueline Marie Musacchio, www.lundhumphries.com/products/the... #artherstory #womenartists #MerryChristmas

A drawing of a woman from about the waist up, contained in a pale colored circle of paper. She has a halo and flowers in her hair. Her hands are in front of her; the left hand is slightly above the right, and holds a martyr's palm. The description in the book informs the reader that it is a drawing of, “Thomas Ball’s wife Ellen Louisa Wild in the guise of Saint Cecilia, in three-quarter view from the waist up; she holds the palm of martyrdom and wears a floral wreath, a simple halo around her head and a view of a landscape with a church and belltower behind her. In her usual style, Fanny [Francesca Alexander, the artist] only outlined the body but focused attention on her sitter’s head with precisely rendered eyelashes, hair and wreath.”The circular artwork is mounted on a darker brown vertical rectangle of paper, on which appears two lines of handwritten text. The top line is "Santa Cecilia Martire"; the text of the 2nd line is not entirely legible.

#SaintCecilia, 1854, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917). @wellesley.edu Special Collections; reproduced in "The Art and Life of Francesca Alexander: 1837-1917," by Jacqueline Marie Musacchio,
www.lundhumphries.com/products/the...
#artherstory #womenartists #FeastofStCecilia #StCecilia

A painting of children on and around a portico, with a landscape in the background, in which sits a statue of a Madonna & Child. In the foreground, a girl in a red dress with a blue bow in her hair hands an orange to two other girls, at least one of whom is dressed in rags. At the feet of the girl in the red dress is a cloth with more food in it. At the left edge of the painting two more children are seated on the step.

Charity, 1861, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917). Location unknown; reproduction from "The Art and Life of Francesca Alexander: 1837-1917," by J.M. Musacchio, published by @lhartbooks.bsky.social,
www.lundhumphries.com/products/the...
#artherstory #womenartists #InternationalDayofCharity

A painting of a young white-skinned, dark-haired woman sitting by a table that holds a sewing basket. There is a white piece of cloth in her lap that she is apparently sewing. She wears a dark gray gown with buttons down the front and white trim at the sleeves and modest v-collar. At the base of the v of her neckline is a blue flower (not sure if it is a real flower or a piece of jewelry). On the wall behind her, the lower portions of paintings are visible. On the wall at the viewer's right hangs a bookshelf; only a portion of the two bottom shelves (full of books) is visible.

Woman Sewing / Paolina Pistolesi, c. 1880, by #FrancescaAlexander (#EstherFrancesAlexander; American, 1837-1917). Held by @brooklynmuseum.org, www.brooklynmuseum.org/objects/114768
#artherstory #womenartists #NationalSewingMonth

A pen and ink half-length drawing of a woman with very long hair and dark circles under her eyes, simply dressed in a white robe. There is a halo behind her head, and the drawing is contained within an arch. The woman's face is turned slightly to her own left (toward the right edge of the painting as the viewer sees it) and she seems to be gazing downward. Her left elbow is bent such that her forearm would be parallel to the floor (if one were visible). In her left hand she grasps a lidded ointment jar, held at mid-chest.

Mary Magdalene, 1850s, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917). Held by Wellesley College Special Collections. The reproduction appears in The Art &Life of Francesca Alexander, by Jacqueline Marie Musacchio,
www.lundhumphries.com/products/the...
#artherstory #womenartists #FeastofMaryMagdalene

ONLINE - The Art and Life of Francesca Alexander 1837 - 1917 — Glessner House This talk examines the art and life of Boston-born artist Francesca Alexander, who moved with her parents to Florence in 1853 and became part of a thriving international community. Drawing on her work...

COMING UP IN AUGUST!
Find out more about artist #FrancescaAlexander:
www.glessnerhouse.org/events/franc...

A bust length drawing of a Black woman, turned to the side (facing the left edge of the paper), wearing a madras headscarf and a high collar. The sitter's name and the date are handwritten at the bottom left.

Deborah Dorsay, 1852, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917), drawn #otd, July 13. The reproduction appears in "The Art and Life of Francesca Alexander: 1837-1917," by Jacqueline Marie Musacchio, published by Lund Humphries,
www.lundhumphries.com/products/the...
#artherstory #womenartists

The Art and Life of Francesca Alexander This is the first book to examine the art and life of Boston-born artist Francesca Alexander (1837–1917). Francesca and her parents moved to Florence in 1853 and became part of a thriving internationa...

Jacqueline Musacchio is the author of a new book about the C19th artist and celebrity:

The Art and Life of #FrancescaAlexander: 1837-1917
@lhartbooks.bsky.social 2025
www.lundhumphries.com/products/the...

A photogravure of a delicately drawn scene of chaos, with at least 9 children squabbling, crying, fighting, etc. At the left edge a seated adult in religious garb holds up their hands helplessly; at the back, a woman with a basket looped over her right forearm enters the room from outdoors.

Unpaginated folio from “La Sorellaccia,” 1877, photogravure of a drawing by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917). Held by @wellesley.edu College Special Collections; source, www.lundhumphries.com/products/the...

#ChildrensDay #InternationalChildrensDay #womenartists #artherstory

A black-and-white drawing of a vase of columbines, with a handwritten label below including the label and the date.

Vase of Columbines, 1852, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917), drawn #otd, May 17. The reproduction appears in "The Art and Life of Francesca Alexander: 1837-1917," by J. M. Musacchio, published by @lhartbooks.bsky.social,
www.lundhumphries.com/products/the...
#artherstory #womenartists

We had a very successful launch of Jacqueline Musacchio's book on #FrancescaAlexander last night at Ben Elwes Fine Art, London. Congratulations Jacki!
Check out the book here: www.lundhumphries.com/products/the...

A photogravure of a drawing of a barefoot woman standing in a doorway giving alms to a man and some women and children standing outside.

Saint Zita Giving Alms, photogravure by Frederick Hollyer of a drawing by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917). Published in Alexander’s “Roadside Songs of Tuscany,” 1885. Held at the Rijksmuseum, id.rijksmuseum.nl/200653075.
#artherstory #womenartists #FeastofStZita

A reproduction of a painting of a young white-skinned woman with long brown hair gathered at the nape of her neck, wearing a white long sleeved blouse. She stands with both elbows bent, holding her right arm crossed over to rest on her left wrist. In her left hand she grasps the ends of a slate blue cloth in which some kind of harvested greens are bundled.

Paolina Pistolesi as Ruth, 1878, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917), painted #otd, Apr 23. Location unknown; image from "The Art & Life of Francesca Alexander: 1837-1917," by JM Musacchio, pub'd by
@lhartbooks.bsky.social,
www.lundhumphries.com/products/the...
#artherstory #womenartists

✨ #WomensHistoryMonth #AmericanWomenArtists ✨
From saintly #FrancescaAlexander (1837–1917) to effervescent #EstherPressoir (1902-1986)...
Check out our books on #WomenArtists – all 20% off with code WHM25 until the end of March!
www.lundhumphries.com/collections/...

A delicate pen-and-ink drawing of a somber-looking young white woman from the waist up, wearing a C19th gown. The portrait sits in the middle of a tan-colored paper. The name of the sitter, and the date, are handwritten at the bottom left.

Emily Russell, 5 March 1862, by #FrancescaAlexander (American-born, 1837-1917). Created #otd 163 years ago; held by @rad-institute.bsky.social. Reproduced in "The Art & Life of Francesca Alexander," by Jacqueline Marie Musacchio, pub'd last week by @lhartbooks.bsky.social

#womenartists #artherstory

An American Artist’s Vignettes of Rural Italian Life Despite the often stifling influence of critic John Ruskin, Francesca Alexander dedicated her art and life’s work to the people of Tuscany.

An American Artist’s Vignettes of Rural Italian Life
by Lauren Moya Ford for @hyperallergic.com
hyperallergic.com/992470/ameri...

#womenartists #FrancescaAlexander #artherstory

Pig, c.1850s, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917). Held by @wellesley.edu Special Collections. Reproduced in "The Art and Life of Francesca Alexander," by Jacqueline Marie Musacchio (@lhartbooks.bsky.social 2025),
www.lundhumphries.com/products/the...

#NationalPigDay #womenartists

Study of a Wild Strawberry Plant, c.1870s, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917). Held by the Victoria & Albert Museum, collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O601871...

#NationalStrawberryDay #artherstory #womenartists

A pen and ink drawing of a barefoot, dark-haired young woman in a long dress sitting outdoors at the base of a tree, leaning against the trunk, gazing out into the distance. On her lap sits a book; she appears to be turning a page with her right hand. Her left hand rests on the shoulder of a lamb that cuddles at her left side.

#SaintAgnes, 1861, by #FrancescaAlexander (American, 1837-1917). Held by Wellesley College Special Collections. The image appears in The Art and Life of Francesca Alexander, by Jacqueline Marie Musacchio, www.lundhumphries.com/products/the... #artherstory #womenartists #FeastofStAgnes #StAgnes