Harriet Sartain (December 26, 1873 – March 4, 1957) was an American artist, arts educator and college administrator. She was dean of the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, which became part of the

Moore College of Art and Design Moore College of Art & Design is a Private college, private art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its undergraduate programs are available only for female students, but its other educational programs, including graduate programs, are co-ed ...

in 1932.

Early life and education

Harriet Sartain was born in

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 ...

, the daughter of Henry Sartain and Anna Maria Toby Sartain. Her mother was born in England. Her father was a printer and engraver, as was her grandfather,

John Sartain John Sartain (October 24, 1808 – October 25, 1897) was an English-born American artist who pioneered mezzotint engraving in the United States. Biography John Sartain was born in London, England. He learned line engraving, and produced several o ...

, and her uncle

William Sartain William Sartain (November 21, 1843 – October 25, 1924) was an American artist, known for the moody tonalism of his paintings, and interests and influences that spanned Orientalism and the Barbizon plein air approach to art. Friend to Thomas ...

.Sartain Family Papers
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Another uncle, Samuel Sartain, was married to Harriet Judd Sartain (1830–1923), an early woman physician in Philadelphia. She trained as an artist at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, with further studies at

Teachers College, Columbia University Teachers College, Columbia University (TC), is the graduate school of education, health, and psychology of Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. Founded in 1887, it has served as one of the official faculties and ...

Career

Sartain painted landscapes and watercolors, and exhibited her works in Philadelphia, New York, and elsewhere, including at the

World's Columbian Exposition The World's Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) was a world's fair held in Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordi ...

in Chicago in 1893, and at the

Louisiana Purchase Exposition The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World's Fair, was an World's fair, international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from April 30 to December 1, 1904. Local, state, and federal funds tota ...

in 1904. Sartain taught art from her own studio, and was director of the art studio at

Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the earliest coeduca ...

beginning in 1902. She was a founding member of the Plastic Club, and president of the club from 1913 to 1916. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, she was first dean of the Philadelphia School of Occupational Therapy. She succeeded her aunt Emily Sartain to become dean of the Philadelphia School of Design for Women in 1920. When that school merged with the Moore Institute in 1932, she was dean of the joint institution until her retirement in 1946. In 1941, the Philadelphia Art Alliance recognized Sartain with a distinguished service medal designed by

John R. Sinnock John Ray Sinnock (July 8, 1888 – May 14, 1947) was the eighth Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1925 to 1947. History Sinnock was the designer of the Roosevelt dime and Franklin half dollar, among other U.S. coins. His initials ca ...

. She was an active member of the

National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors The National Association of Women Artists, Inc. (NAWA) is a United States organization, founded in 1889 to gain recognition for professional women fine artists in an era when that field was strongly male-oriented. It sponsors exhibitions, awards ...

, the Art Teachers Association of Philadelphia, the Eastern Art Association, the Women's National Farm and Garden Association, and many other clubs and organizations.

Publications

* "Light and Shade in Photography" (1901) * "Definite Training in the Appreciation of Beauty and its Function in Human Happiness" (1926)

Death and legacy

Sartain died in 1957, at a hospital in Philadelphia, at the age of 83. Moore College of Art and Design offers a Harriet Sartain Fellowship to fund student travel. Moore College also has a dormitory named Sartain Hall, in honor of the Sartain family, including Harriet and Emily Sartain. Her papers are part of the Sartain Family Papers collections at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sartain, Harriet 1873 births 1957 deaths American women artists American art educators People from Philadelphia Swarthmore College faculty Moore College of Art and Design faculty Moore College of Art and Design alumni