Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Claude Hirst specialized in small still-life paintings, usually of old books and pipes in the trompe l'oeil style. She was unique as a trompe l'oeil painter in that she was the first woman of note to paint in this style and also because she preferred watercolor when other trompe painters were using oil. Of her it was said that "she alternated between oil and watercolor with such facility that one critic noted 'It is difficult to distinguish the oils from the watercolors, so perfect is the execution in both.' " (Ledes 16). She especially delighted in painting crisp-looking pages and worn-leather bindings of old books, which appealed to viewers following the vogue of antique book collecting.

But wait, there's more...

Displaying 2,292 of 2,276 characters.

Subscriber Members, please Sign In for full artist biographies and all services.

For non-paying users, good news! Full text bios for all artists are available every Friday.

If you are not currently a member, please See Details about membership.