Julia Cornelia Slaughter

Julia Cornelia Slaughter
Born
Julia Cornelia Widgery

1850 (1850)
Exeter, Devonshire, England[1][2]
Died1905 (aged 54–55)
West Cardiff, Wales[2]
Burial placeSt. David's Church Cemetery, Exeter, England
Occupations
Organizations
Known forAmerican painter and community leader of Washington State. Slaughter was often in charge of art departments in different state and country exhibitions and social gatherings. Co-founded the Tacoma Art League (later Tacoma Art Museum) and art leagues in a number of other Washington State cities.
SpouseSamuel C. Slaughter (married in 1889[3]– 1905[10])
FatherWilliam Widgery[3]
RelativesFrederick John Widgery(brother)[5]

Julia Cornelia Slaughter (née Widgery; 1850–1905) was an American artist and community leader. She started her career as a painter in England, creating portraits and landscapes in oil, watercolor, and pastel. Later, she focused on still lifes and landscapes. In about 1876, she moved to New York and exhibited in major city exhibitions, including the National Academy of Design, American Art Association, and Society of American Artists. Slaughter spent some time in San Francisco and arrived in Tacoma in 1891, where in later years she was highly esteemed in social and art circles.

Slaughter co-founded and was twice elected president of the Tacoma Art League, which later developed into the Tacoma Art Museum. She was the founder and president of the Washington State Cooperation Society; a member of the Ferry Museum Board of Trustees (and the only female member of that time); the first female member of the American Art Union; and the second vice president of the Woman's Exchange organization in Tacoma.

Slaughter was one of the Washingtonian commissioners for the World's Fair of 1893. As superintendent of the Department of Fine Art, she collected a vast array of art pieces from around the state for the Fair exhibition. She is credited for creating art leagues in Seattle, Spokane, Walla Walla, Olympia, Fairhaven and Whatcom (later Bellingham). She was also president of the Lady Commissioners during the Atlanta Cotton States exposition in 1895.

  1. ^ Graves 1884, p. 254.
  2. ^ a b Falk 1999, v.III, p. 3059.
  3. ^ a b c d artprice.com 2020.
  4. ^ a b Hunt 1916, v.II, p. 234.
  5. ^ a b c Seattle Post-Intelligencer; Jan 1, 1893.
  6. ^ Falk 2020.
  7. ^ Washington State History 1893.
  8. ^ Seattle Post-Intelligencer; Feb 13, 1895.
  9. ^ Prosser 1903, v.II, p. 54.
  10. ^ washingtonhistory.org 2020.