Elisabeth Moore Hallowell Saunders (February 21, 1861 – 1910) was an American

botanical illustrator Botanical illustration is the art of depicting the form, color, and details of plant species, frequently in watercolor paintings. They must be scientifically accurate but often also have an artistic component and may be printed with a botanical ...

, author and photographer. Her best known works are illustrations and photographs she completed for her and her husband's books. A collection of her photographs is held by the

Huntington Library The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, known as The Huntington, is a collections-based educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington (1850–1927) and Arabella Huntington (c.1851–1924) in San Mar ...

Early life

Saunders was born Elisabeth Moore Hallowell on the February 2, 1861 to Anne Reese and Caleb S. Hallowell in

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Downto ...

. In 1888 Saunders studied art with

Howard Pyle Howard Pyle (March 5, 1853 – November 9, 1911) was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people. He was a native of Wilmington, Delaware, and he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy. In 1894, he began ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. In that year Saunders formed a walking club with her future husband Charles Francis Saunders and

Henry Troth Henry Troth (September 24, 1859 – April 25, 1945) was an American pictorialist photographer known for his original platinum photographs taken during the 19th-20th century. He developed his special platinum prints from the late 1880s until his d ...

. Saunders was an avid naturalist and gained the nickname "The Botanist" from the other two. They visited inns in Philadelphia, which culminated in a collaborated book ''Inns and Outs.'' The book was written by Charles and illustrated by Saunders and Troth. In 1891 Saunders was a student at the

Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art The Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art (PMSIA), also referred to as the School of Applied Art, was chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on February 26, 1876, as both a museum and teaching institution. This was in response to t ...

where she was awarded first place in the Richards Prize for her portfolio of etchings.

Career

Saunders worked at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art in 1893 as an instructor in pen and ink drawing. She continued to teach there until 1900 when she took a leave of absence as a result of ill health. Womendesignersof00ston 0053

During this time Saunders was a member of

The Plastic Club The Plastic Club is an arts organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1897 for women only, the Plastic Club is one of the oldest art clubs in the United States. It is located on the 200 block of Camac Street, the "Little Street ...

, an arts organisation for women to promote collaboration and members' works. In 1902 Saunders designed the

bookplate An ''Ex Libris'' (from ''ex-librīs'', ), also known as a bookplate (or book-plate, as it was commonly styled until the early 20th century), is a printed or decorative label pasted into a book, often on the front endpaper, to indicate ownership. ...

and insignia for the club. Also in 1902 she married Charles and they honeymooned in California and the American southwest. In 1904 Charles published his first book, a book of poems dedicated to Saunders and entitled ''In a Poppy Garden.'' Saunders illustrated that volume. The following year Saunders published a book of illustrations, ''California Wild Flowers.'' Charles wrote the descriptive text for that work. Withflowerstrees00sauniala 0139

Partly in an attempt to improve Saunders failing health, the couple moved to

Pasadena Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. Its ...

in 1906. Along with her illustration work, Saunders was a keen photographer. Many of her photographs were used to illustrate Charles' books including ''The Indians of the Terraced Houses'' and ''Under the Sky in California,'' both of which were published after her death. Saunders died in Pasadena in 1910.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saunders, Elisabeth Hallowell 1861 births 1910 deaths Hallowell family American illustrators 20th-century American women artists Botanical illustrators People from Alexandria, Virginia Artists from Virginia University of the Arts (Philadelphia) alumni