Description: Archibald Willard (1836-1918) is one of Ohio's best-known painters and was born in Bedford, Ohio, in 1836. In 1855, he and his family moved to Wellington, Ohio, where Willard became an apprentice to E.S. Tripp and gained experience and training as an artist. During the American Civil War, Willard enlisted in the 86th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He began to draw pictures of what he saw during the war and, in partnership with James F. Ryder, began to sell reproductions of his work. In 1875, Willard moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he set up a studio. It was in Cleveland where Willard painted his most famous work, which he called "Yankee Doodle." Eventually it became know as "The Spirit of 76." He died in 1918. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL04086
Subjects: Artists--Ohio; Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists; Ohio--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Regimental histories;
Places: Cleveland (Ohio); Cuyahoga County (Ohio)
 

Description: Broadside announcing a recital by Paul Laurence Dunbar and violinist Joseph H. Douglass in Fitzgerald's auditorium, July 9, 1901. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL02812
Subjects: Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; Artists--Ohio; Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists; Musical performances
 

Description: Sketch drawn by Elis F. Miller showing a young girl or woman at an easel. The drawing is dated "Jan 27 -80-," and has the name "Miss Fisher" written in the lower right-hand corner, possibly the name of the subject. Miller was born in Canton, Ohio, on October 15, 1840. As a child, both he and his sister Mary Emily sketched and painted. In 1862, Miller joined Company B of the 15th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a musician. When he was mustered out in 1865, Miller went to Columbus, where his mother, Harriet J. Miller, sister “Emily,” and Emily’s husband had moved the previous year. During the early years of his career Miller worked as a photographer to support himself. He continued drawing and primarily worked as a landscape artist, traveling to southern Ohio, West Virginia, and the Lake Erie Islands. These sketches were later used as the basis of his watercolors and etchings. Miller specialized in watercolors and won ten “best” awards at the Ohio State Fair between 1875 and 1881. He exhibited two landscapes at the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876 and made a name for himself with his landscape work in etchings. He used a new European process of the time called “cliché verre,” in which glass photographic plates coated with emulsion were etched with a fine needle. Miller then exposed the plates in the sun next to light-sensitive paper to create the final piece of art. Although Miller’s work was appreciated in Columbus, it was not until the 1880s that it was recognized by East Coast art circles. Today Miller’s work can be found at the Smithsonian, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Columbus Museum of Art. He died of tubercular meningitis on March 20, 1884. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: P385_B01F04_001_001
Subjects: Artists--Ohio; Civil War; Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists; Miller, Elis, 1840-1884; Children;
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Cliché verre print by Elis F. Miller showing an unidentified barn with a thatched roof. Cliché verre was a European artistic process in which glass photographic plates coated with emulsion were etched with a fine needle, then exposed in the sun next to light-sensitive paper to create the final piece of art. Miller was born in Canton, Ohio, on October 15, 1840. As a child, both he and his sister Mary Emily sketched and painted. In 1862, Miller joined Company B of the 15th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a musician. When he was mustered out in 1865, Miller went to Columbus, where his mother, Harriet J. Miller, sister “Emily,” and Emily’s husband had moved the previous year. During the early years of his career Miller worked as a photographer to support himself. He continued drawing and primarily worked as a landscape artist, traveling to southern Ohio, West Virginia, and the Lake Erie Islands. These sketches were later used as the basis of his watercolors and etchings. Miller specialized in watercolors and won ten “best” awards at the Ohio State Fair between 1875 and 1881. He exhibited two landscapes at the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876 and made a name for himself with his landscape work in etchings. Although Miller’s work was appreciated in Columbus, it was not until the 1880s that it was recognized by East Coast art circles. Today Miller’s work can be found at the Smithsonian, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Columbus Museum of Art. He died of tubercular meningitis on March 20, 1884. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: P385_B01F10_001_001
Subjects: Artists--Ohio; Civil War; Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists; Miller, Elis, 1840-1884; Barns;
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Etching by Elis F. Miller showing a ship docked with a city skyline in the background. The prow of the ship is signed "E F Miller" and dated "82." On the back of the drawing is the name "Ida S. B.," likely referring to Ida Strickler Baldwin, the sister of Miller's mother-in-law. Miller was born in Canton, Ohio, on October 15, 1840. As a child, both he and his sister Mary Emily sketched and painted. In 1862, Miller joined Company B of the 15th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a musician. When he was mustered out in 1865, Miller went to Columbus, where his mother, Harriet J. Miller, sister “Emily,” and Emily’s husband had moved the previous year. During the early years of his career Miller worked as a photographer to support himself. He continued drawing and primarily worked as a landscape artist, traveling to southern Ohio, West Virginia, and the Lake Erie Islands. These sketches were later used as the basis of his watercolors and etchings. Miller specialized in watercolors and won ten “best” awards at the Ohio State Fair between 1875 and 1881. He exhibited two landscapes at the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876 and made a name for himself with his landscape work in etchings. He used a new European process of the time called “cliché verre,” in which glass photographic plates coated with emulsion were etched with a fine needle. Miller then exposed the plates in the sun next to light-sensitive paper to create the final piece of art. Although Miller’s work was appreciated in Columbus, it was not until the 1880s that it was recognized by East Coast art circles. Today Miller’s work can be found at the Smithsonian, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Columbus Museum of Art. He died of tubercular meningitis on March 20, 1884. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: P385_B01F11_001_001
Subjects: Artists--Ohio; Civil War; Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists; Miller, Elis, 1840-1884; Boats;
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Etching by Elis F. Miller showing an unidentified rural landscape. Miller was born in Canton, Ohio, on October 15, 1840. As a child, both he and his sister Mary Emily sketched and painted. In 1862, Miller joined Company B of the 15th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a musician. When he was mustered out in 1865, Miller went to Columbus, where his mother, Harriet J. Miller, sister “Emily,” and Emily’s husband had moved the previous year. During the early years of his career Miller worked as a photographer to support himself. He continued drawing and primarily worked as a landscape artist, traveling to southern Ohio, West Virginia, and the Lake Erie Islands. These sketches were later used as the basis of his watercolors and etchings. Miller specialized in watercolors and won ten “best” awards at the Ohio State Fair between 1875 and 1881. He exhibited two landscapes at the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876 and made a name for himself with his landscape work in etchings. He used a new European process of the time called “cliché verre,” in which glass photographic plates coated with emulsion were etched with a fine needle. Miller then exposed the plates in the sun next to light-sensitive paper to create the final piece of art. Although Miller’s work was appreciated in Columbus, it was not until the 1880s that it was recognized by East Coast art circles. Today Miller’s work can be found at the Smithsonian, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Columbus Museum of Art. He died of tubercular meningitis on March 20, 1884. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: P385_B03F06_001_001
Subjects: Artists--Ohio; Civil War; Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists; Miller, Elis, 1840-1884; Farms;
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Studio portrait of Elis F. Miller, ca. 1870. Miller was born in Canton, Ohio, on October 15, 1840. As a child, both he and his sister Mary Emily sketched and painted. In 1862, Miller joined Company B of the 15th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a musician. When he was mustered out in 1865, Miller went to Columbus, where his mother, Harriet J. Miller, sister “Emily,” and Emily’s husband had moved the previous year. During the early years of his career Miller worked as a photographer to support himself. He continued drawing and primarily worked as a landscape artist, traveling to southern Ohio, West Virginia, and the Lake Erie Islands. These sketches were later used as the basis of his watercolors and etchings. Miller specialized in watercolors and won ten “best” awards at the Ohio State Fair between 1875 and 1881. He exhibited two landscapes at the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876 and made a name for himself with his landscape work in etchings. He used a new European process of the time called “cliché verre,” in which glass photographic plates coated with emulsion were etched with a fine needle. Miller then exposed the plates in the sun next to light-sensitive paper to create the final piece of art. Although Miller’s work was appreciated in Columbus, it was not until the 1880s that it was recognized by East Coast art circles. Today Miller’s work can be found at the Smithsonian, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Columbus Museum of Art. He died of tubercular meningitis on March 20, 1884. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: P385_B06F01_001_001
Subjects: Artists--Ohio; Civil War; Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists; Miller, Elis, 1840-1884; Photography--Ohio--History--19th century;
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: Drawing of a monkey band on the back of elephant by L.M. Fisher of Lancaster, Ohio, ca. 1870. The drawing is part of the Ohio Historical Society fine art collection. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05193
Subjects: Artists--Ohio; Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists; Animals; Musical instruments
Places: Lancaster (Ohio); Fairfield County (Ohio)
 

Description: Woodcut print of the Hunt farm (formerly Simon Kenton Farm) in Springfield (Clark County), Ohio. Created by Virginia Fox Hunt and Edward Eyre Hunt for a holiday card, ca. 1930. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL03783
Subjects: Springfield (Ohio); Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists; Holidays
Places: Springfield (Ohio); Clark County (Ohio)
 

Description: This is a portrait of a seated woman with a child leaning on her lap. This photograph was taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, ca. 1896-1912. Like most of Ewing's work, it was likely taken in southeastern Ohio or central West Virginia. Born in 1870 in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta, Ewing most likely began his photography career in the 1890s. The 1910 US Census and a 1912-1913 directory list him as a photographer. A negative signed “Ewing Brothers” and a picture with his younger brother, Frank, indicate that Frank may have joined the business. After 1916, directories list Albert as a salesman. He died in 1934. The Ewing Collection consists of 5,055 glass plate negatives, each individually housed and numbered. Additionally, the collection includes approximately 450 modern contact prints made from the glass plate negatives. Subjects include infants and young children, elderly people, families, school and religious groups, animals and rural scenes. In 1982, the Ohio Historical Society received the collection, still housed in the original dry plate negative boxes purchased by Albert J. Ewing. A selection of the original glass plate negatives were exhibited for the first time in 2013 at the Ohio Historical Center. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL04683
Subjects: Ewing, Albert J. (1870-1934); Portrait photography--United States—History; Children; Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists
Places: Ohio; West Virginia
 

Description: This is a portrait of a woman looking down at the deceased infant she holds on her lap. This photograph was taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, ca. 1896-1912. Like most of Ewing's work, it was likely taken in southeastern Ohio or central West Virginia. Born in 1870 in Washington County, Ohio, near Marietta, Ewing most likely began his photography career in the 1890s. The 1910 US Census and a 1912-1913 directory list him as a photographer. A negative signed “Ewing Brothers” and a picture with his younger brother, Frank, indicate that Frank may have joined the business. After 1916, directories list Albert as a salesman. He died in 1934. The Ewing Collection consists of 5,055 glass plate negatives, each individually housed and numbered. Additionally, the collection includes approximately 450 modern contact prints made from the glass plate negatives. Subjects include infants and young children, elderly people, families, school and religious groups, animals and rural scenes. In 1982, the Ohio Historical Society received the collection, still housed in the original dry plate negative boxes purchased by Albert J. Ewing. A selection of the original glass plate negatives were exhibited for the first time in 2013 at the Ohio Historical Center. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL04687
Subjects: Ewing, Albert J. (1870-1934); Portrait photography--United States—History; Women; Children; Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists; Postmortem photography; Funeral rites and ceremonies
Places: Ohio; West Virginia
 

Description: Portrait of Elise Ford created by Howard Chandler Christy in 1947. The painting is part of the Ohio History Connection fine art collection. Christy grew up in Duncan Falls, Ohio, and later built a studio there. In addition to portraits, he was a well-known illustrator and also painted historic scenes. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00713
Subjects: Muskingum County (Ohio); Cultural Ohio--Art and Artists; Christy, Howard Chandler, 1873-1952