Elisabet Ney has been keeping Austin weird since 1872, and there's no better place to learn about her unique history than at the Elisabet Ney Museum in Hyde Park. A German sculpture and innovative artist, Ney moved to Austin at the age of 39. In addition to her stunning artwork, Ney championed Austin's art scene and helped launch the blooming creativity that is still here today. Take a tour through her former home and art studio! This little known unique museum in Austin is truly fascinating.
The building itself is a work of art.
Her house parties were a creative stomping ground. Composer Paderewski and Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova often made appearances here.
You must tour the grounds.
There's beauty everywhere.
Ney was a trailblazer for female artists.
She didn't conform to society's standards and never took her husband's name. Always outspoken and honest, she would often say that "Women are fools to be bothered with housework." She slept in a hammock, drank raw eggs, and dazzled the country with her art.
Her sculpture of Sam Houston expertly captures his likeness.
She was commissioned by the Board of Lady Managers of the Chicago World's Fair Association to build this sculpture. The original can be seen in the Texas State Capital, but her museum houses her drawings and moldings.
Her depiction of Stephen F. Austin sits in the Texas State Capital.
She also sculpted busts of Texas governors, religious figures, and royal monarchs.
Perhaps her most famous statue sits at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Lady Macbeth astonishes artists from all over.
The beauty is in the details. Look at those hands!
Celebrate the creative process!
At the Elisabet Ney museum, you can delve into the mind of one of art's magnificent trailblazers.
Have you been to this unique museum in Austin? Where do you go to view art in the area? Let us know!
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