Women Artists at Glensheen

Katie Harvey

Introduction

Glensheen is known to house an extensive collection of artworks such as prints, paintings and sculptures. Chester and Clara Congdon were meticulous about every work that was featured in their collections. No one work was picked randomly; they were chosen to represent the different values of the Congdons. These works were primarily meant to be seen by both family and visitors of Glensheen. They represented who the Congdons were; a family who values craftsmanship, religion and the arts. Their investment in collections allowed them to celebrate cultural significance and a range of knowledge (Webb 2009, 1). To be featured in the Congdon’s collection meant that the artist’s work was held in high regard.

Another important aspect of the Congdon's collection is the women artists that are featured. Some of these artists include Clara herself, Eliza Barchus, Marian Blakelock, Bertha Lum and others. Women artists often were not featured in big exhibitions or gallery spaces. For the Congdons to pick out works done by incredible women artists, they allow for them to have a space to present their work. Clara and Chester’s collection serves as an example where a renowned collection includes and features women artists in a time where they were rarely celebrated.

A Brief History

I ask you now to think about an artist that was active during the late 1800s- 1900s. Ok, got it? Now I am going to guess who you thought of… was it, Claude Monet or Pablo Picasso? If I guessed right, that’s ok! Here is a link to other women artists that deserve as much credit as their male counterparts. Learn more about them here!

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries women were not often allowed or accepted into formal galleries or exhibitions. This was mainly due to the limited access to formal art education. Mary Cassatt, an impressionist active in the late 1800s, was one of the only American women featured in Paris impressionist exhibitions (National Museum of Women in the Arts n.d.). Paris exhibitions during this time were the number one place to showcase art. It meant that society had deemed your work worthy enough to be seen by anyone.

Has text for a letter from artist Gasper Ruffalo to Elizabeth Congdon

Gasper Ruffalo to Elisabeth Congdon, 16 December 1936, box 20, folder 15, Glensheen Collection, University of Minnesota, Duluth.

The Congdon’s Relationship to the Artists

Their art collection is one where artists were not only featured but also a personal connection was formed with a few.

In this letter to Elisabeth Congdon from Gasper Ruffalo, he thanks the Congdons for their hospitality. This correspondence indicates that most artists were treated well and respected by the Congdons. Another important point to note is that Chester and Clara hand-picked which artists would be featured. These artists were chosen for their expertise within their designated areas of art. Many works were bought during their travels but also purchased from local artists like Gasper Ruffalo and David Erikson.

The Need to Decorate a House vs Building a Collection for the Sake of Collecting

Clara and Chester were building their collection for family viewership rather than an exhibition that would be seen by hundreds of viewers. That being said, their collections reflect this idea because they were collecting more conservatively (Romenesko). During this time period Picasso and Cubism was incredibly popular but the Congdons focused more on American Landscape paintings. Why might this be? Well there isn’t a direct answer but we can only guess. Since the collection was only meant for family viewership, the Congdons wanted art pieces that would fit this category. This serves as a great case study for how art functions in a family home versus a museum.

Were Chester and Clara… Feminists?!

Chester and Clara were known to reject traditional ideals of women in educational establishments. Clara’s parents were advocates for equal educational opportunities between men and women (Webb, 5). Clara herself was one of the first women to cross that boundary by being accepted into Syracuse University in New York. She graduated in 1875 with a degree in art. Her copy of David originally done by Peter Paul Rubens can be found in the Glensheen library on the fireplace mantle. She painted this while teaching at Alexandra College in Belleville, Canada (Glensheen Art Guide) During his final year at Syracuse, Chester wrote his senior thesis on the educational rights of women (Webb, 5).

Now you might be wondering, are they feminists? Well, it is more complicated than a simple yes or no. Clara would more likely be labeled as a “Protofeminist”. I know, this is a big word but no worries! I will elaborate. During this particular time period, the term “feminist” has not been distinctly defined. So when an individual during this time expresses ideas that reject “traditional” values of women (ex: rejecting the value that women shouldn’t be allowed to have the same education as men), we would call them a protofeminist. Although Chester wrote his senior thesis about women in education, he unfortunately would not necessarily be a full “protofeminist.” During his Pacific Panorama journey, he wrote critically of women's suffrage thus not rejecting all traditional ideals (Romenesko).

[Some] Women Who Deserve Time in the Spotlight

Marian Blakelock

Image: Marian Blakelock, American, Moonlight, Oil on Canvas

Marian Blakelock was an American painter born in 1880. She is the daughter of Ralph A. Blakelock, a renowned tonalist artist. Marian taught herself how to paint, specifically landscapes in the tonalist style. Tonalism is a style of painting that focuses on the emotion that can be evoked from colors specifically in landscape paintings (Art Story, n.d.).

Her painting, Moonlight, is placed on the mantle of the Glensheen living room fireplace. When you see it in person, ask yourself what emotions you feel? What emotions do you think Marian felt while painting it?

Unfortunately, Marian’s life was not all glitz and glamour. Ms. S.E. Heskell, an art dealer, bought Marian's paintings and covered up Marian's signature with her fathers. Her works then were sold for more money then she got all because a man's name was on them instead of hers. Later on in her life she was put into a psychiatric institution just like her father (Glensheen Art Guide).

Marian’s legacy lives on at Glensheen. With thousands of tourists coming in and seeing her work, she is honored and recognized in small ways. When you see Moonlight think of the incredible artist behind it who didn’t get to see how her work influences the lives of others.

Bertha Lum

Image: Bertha Lum, Untitled, Woodblock Print

Bertha Lum was born in 1869 in Tipton Iowa, our midwest queen. She studied art at the Chicago Institute of Art from 1895-1900. During her honeymoon in Japan, Lum saw, learned and fell in love with Japanese woodblock printing. After this trip she became interested in woodblock painting and ended up studying the craft in Japan. She often took up residence in Japan and learned from Japanese Craftsmen. Lum worked in Duluth for some time but eventually ended up living abroad in China where she studied the methods of Chinese woodblock printing (Bertha-Lum n.d.). Her works demonstrate her understanding of woodblock printing from both Japanese and Chinese cultures. As a result, her mixture of techniques create unique works of art perfect for a collection such as Clara and Chester's that celebrate the artist and their craft.

Conclusion

The Congdon’s art collection is one that houses an extensive amount of artworks. Each artwork is a representation of the values of Clara and Chester. Their inclusivity of women artists is important because it gives them a platform that may not have been accessible to them. It allows for recognition of these women and a space that allows them to be creative. The next time you visit Glensheen, grab an art guide, and pay attention to not just the artwork, but the artists as well.

Bibliography

Bertha Lum. n.d. “Biography – Bertha Lum.” Accessed December 8, 2025. https://www.bertha-lum.org/en/biography/

Congdon, Chester. Collection. Glensheen Archives, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN.

Glensheen Art Guide.

National Museum of Women in the Arts. n.d. “American Women Artists: 1830-1930.” Accessed December 8, 2025. https://nmwa.org/exhibitions/american-women-artists-1830-1930/

Romenesko, Blake. Glensheen Employee Training and Resources.

The Art Story. n.d. “Tonalism Movement.” Accessed December 8, 2025. https://www.theartstory.org/movement/tonalism/

Webb, Jennifer. 2009. “Golden Age collecting in America’s Middle West: Chester and Clara Congdon’s Glensheen Historical Manner and Raymond Wyer’s An Art Museum." Journal of the History of Collections.

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