Edith Pfau

Edith Pfau
Sister Edith Pfau
Pfau in 1977
Born
Alberta Henrietta Pfau

(1915-07-15)July 15, 1915
Jasper, Indiana
DiedDecember 14, 2001(2001-12-14) (aged 86)
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
Alma materSaint Mary-of-the-Woods College, Indiana State University, Ball State University, Chicago Art Institute, Notre Dame University, The Catholic University of America
Known forPainting, sculpting, art education

Edith Henrietta Pfau (July 15, 1915 – December 14, 2001) was an American painter, sculptor, and art educator known for her Catholic art and commissions.[1]

Early life and education

Born on July 15, 1915, in Jasper, Indiana, Pfau began drawing at a very early age.[2]

Pfau entered the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in 1933 at the age of 18, taking the religious name Sister Edith. Her main ministry as a Sister was teaching art and English in Indiana,[3] Illinois, Washington, D.C., California, and Taiwan. Pfau's education ministry included eleven years teaching at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, eleven years at Immaculata Junior College in Washington, D.C., and ten years at Providence University in Shalu, Taichung, and Taiwan.

Pfau earned a bachelor's degree in English and art from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in 1941. Beginning in 1944 she attended summer sessions at the Art Institute of Chicago with the intent of pursuing a master's degree, but was unable to complete the program due to her teaching responsibilities. In 1951 she earned her Master's from Indiana State University, and a doctorate in education followed from Ball State University in 1971.[4] As an academic, she focused on the subject of art in secondary Catholic education.[5] Pfau also completed numerous summer sessions from the University of Notre Dame and The Catholic University of America.

Career

"Mater Salvatoris"
Mater Salvatoris

Pfau became known for religious paintings, which often used intersections of straight and curved lines and overlapping shapes.[6] Her oil painting "Mater Salvatoris" (c. 1958) is an example of this technique. Numerous churches commissioned works from her including a set of stations of the cross for Our Lady Providence church in Brownstown, Indiana,[7] another set for St. Francis Xavier Church (Wilmette, Illinois),[8] and Christ the Pantokrator for St. Cecilia Church in Tustin, California.[9] Several of her screen print card designs were printed and produced by Community Art Chicago in the 1950s.[10]

Pfau's work was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1947 in an exhibit of Sisters' Manuscripts. Throughout her career, Pfau won numerous awards for her work including first prize in oils from the Indiana College Art Exhibit (1935), first prize in painting at the Wabash Valley Art Exhibition held at Swope Art Museum (1946), several awards and an honorable mention[11] from the national Art for Religion exhibits (1959 and 1969). She earned a solo show of polymer painting and serigraphs during her doctorate studies at Ball State University in 1969.[1][10]

References

  1. ^ a b Blust, Christina (2012-05-15). "A Sister Edith Pfau Evangelist". Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  2. ^ Mitchell, Penny Blaker (July–August 1999). "Sister Edith paints a journey rich in color and experience". Community. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana: Sisters of Providence: 2.
  3. ^ Abbott, Maureen (2013). New Lights from Old Truths: Living the Signs of the Times. Sisters of Providence. ISBN 9780989739719.
  4. ^ "Jasper Native Earns Doctorate". Jasper Herald. 1 June 1971. p. 18. Retrieved 29 October 2014 – via Find My Past.
  5. ^ Pfau, Edith (1971). Art in Secondary Catholic Education. Ball State University. p. 270.
  6. ^ Blust, Christina (15 May 2012). "A Sister Edith Pfau evangelist". Sisters of Providence. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  7. ^ "Cornerstone to be laid Sunday". The Indiana Catholic and Record. May 28, 1948.
  8. ^ "Paints 'Stations of the Cross' for Local Church". Wilmette Life. September 21, 1950.
  9. ^ "Painting graces St. Cecilia Church". Community. January–February 1997.
  10. ^ a b Gilligan, Sister Janet (2022-09-14). "Archives: telling our story of living the Gospel". Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  11. ^ "Art For Religion Winners Listed". The Indianapolis Star. November 6, 1969. p. 24.

Content Disclaimer

Informasi ini disarikan dari Wikipedia dan disajikan kembali untuk tujuan edukasi. Konten tersedia di bawah lisensi CC BY-SA 3.0. Kami tidak bertanggung jawab atas ketidakakuratan data yang bersumber dari kontribusi publik tersebut.

  1. The information displayed on this website is sourced in part or in whole from Wikipedia and has been adapted for the purpose of restating it. We strive to provide accurate and relevant information, however:
  2. There is no guarantee of absolute accuracy. Wikipedia is an open, collaborative project that can be edited by anyone, so information is subject to change.
  3. It is not intended to constitute professional advice. The content displayed is for informational and educational purposes only. For important decisions (e.g., medical, legal, or financial), please consult a professional.
  4. Content copyright. Wikipedia is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This means that content may be reused with appropriate attribution and shared under a similar license.
  5. Responsible use. Any risk arising from the use of information from this website is entirely the responsibility of the user.