Johnson, Adeline (1859-1955)
- Title
- Johnson, Adeline (1859-1955)
- Contributor
- Phillip, Emelda
- Source
- Adelaide Johnson-Image
- birthday
- 1859-09-26
- Birthplace
- Plymouth, IL
- Death Date
- 1955-11-10
- Occupation
- Sculptor
- Biographical Text
-
Sarah Adeline Johnson was born in 1859 and attended school in rural Illinois. She also went on to take classes at the St.Louis School of Design. In 1878, she changed her name from Sarah Adelaide to Adelaide Johnson because she thought it was more dramatic. In 1882, she had a bad accident because of an unguarded elevator shaft. Badly hurt, she sued for compensation and was given $15,000. This award gave her the financial freedom to move to Europe to study painting and sculpture. Adelaide's work, "The Portrait Monument" and a bust of Caroline B. Winslow was exhibited at The Woman's Building in Chicago. The high point of her career was when she completed a monument in Washington D.C in honor of the women's suffrage movement.
In 1896, Adelaide married Frederick Jenkins, a British businessman who was eleven years younger than her. Their marriage ended in 1908 after 12 years. In the 1930's her career declined and she relied on others for financial support. Unwilling to sell her sculptures, she was faced with eviction. In 1939, she invited press to witness her mutilating her own sculptures. Her flamboyant nature led her to lie about her age throughout her life. She celebrated her 100th birthday at the age of 88 to create publicity. Upon her dead she was reported to be 108, though she was really 96. - Bibliography
- Adelaide Johnson, Wikipedia
- Item sets
- People
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