Woman of the Century: Harriette Persis Hurlbut (1893)

What it is

This is a biographical entry from Woman of the Century, published in 1893, about the artist Harriette Persia Hurlbut. The entry was born in Racine, Wisconsin, in 1862 and moved to Chicago in 1873. It says that her best-known picture is a life-size portrait of Samuel Champlain, which forms part of the Chicago Historical Society's collection. The portrait itself is not shown here, only described in the text.

Why it matters

The entry connects a painter from Chicago with Champlain, the French explorer, through a portrait made long after his lifetime. It also shows how a late-1800s reference book recorded the achievements of women artists. The entry traces Hurlbut's ancestry to Mayflower passengers, showing how family history was valued in that period.

Look closer

• The entry says the painting is Hurlbut's best-known work. What evidence does it give for that claim?
• Why would a book about women of the century include a painter's family ancestry?
• What does this text leave out, such as the artist's own voice or the painting's appearance?