Betsy Krieg Salm
Ornamental Artist
American Academic Art
1790 to 1840

AMERICAN SCHOOLGIRL ART was practiced by female Academy, Seminary and tutored students in the late 18^th and early 19th centuries. The artistic disciplines included: music, dance, watercolor painting on paper, velvet and silk, the practicing of penmanship for their love knots, valentines and puzzle poems, and needlework of many types.

Often their greatest work was reserved for pen and paint decoration of wooden pieces. At that time, their families would commission cabinetmakers to create furniture and accessories for them to decorate. In true American fashion, these pieces were always of a practical nature.

They chose motifs drawn from illustrated old books of the period, lithography, and English drawing instruction books. Their home or school, exotic and pastoral scenes, shells and familiar flora and fauna are frequently seen on these rare antiques. These cherished items were passed on from generation to generation

The Book

I am writing a book detailing the history and processes of this art.
Additional information is available here.

rev 12/1/06