Texarkana, Texas – In recognition of Women’s History Month in March, the Women for A&M-Texarkana will host a luncheon, presentation and book signing for “The Art of the Woman: The Life and Work of Elisabet Ney” by Dr. Emily Cutrer, president of A&M-Texarkana, on Tuesday, March 29, at 11:30 a.m. in the University Center on the A&M-Texarkana campus, 7101 University Avenue.
“The Art of the Woman” explores the life of German-born Elisabet Ney, a sculptor who transfixed philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer and left the court of Ludwig of Bavaria to put down new roots in Texas.
Born in 1833, Ney gained notoriety in Europe by sculpting the busts of such figures as Ludwig II, Schopenhauer, Garibaldi and Bismarck. In 1871, she abruptly emigrated to America and became something of a recluse until resuming her sculpting career two decades later. Her works included sculptures of Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin and can be found in the Texas State Capitol, the U.S. Capitol and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Dr. Cutrer’s biography of Ney makes extensive use of primary sources and was the first to appraise both Ney’s legend and individual works of art. In the book, Dr. Cutrer argues that Ney was an accomplished sculptor coming out of a neglected German neoclassical tradition and that, whatever her failures and eccentricities, she was an important catalyst to cultural activity in Texas.
Texas A&M University Press is re-releasing the 1988 book this month as part of its Ellen C. Temple Classics in Texas Women’s History series.
Tickets for the luncheon are $25. All proceeds benefit scholarships for A&M-Texarkana students.
For reservations, contact LeAnne Wright, associate vice president for University Advancement, at (903) 223-3078 or LeAnne.Wright@tamut.edu.
