c. 1910

Esther Freese Woodcut Printing Block

The roots of the Fort Wayne Art School can be traced to as early as 1888 when J. Ottis Adams, an Ameri-can Impressionist painter and Hoosier, began teaching weekly painting classes in Fort Wayne. In 1892 Margaret Hamilton remodeled an old carriage house on the Hamilton estate and allowed art classes to use the building rent-free. The Hamilton sisters were staunch supporters of the young school, even providing financial assistance when needed. In 1921 it evolved into a school and museum when a collection of ten paintings was donated by Theodore Thieme. A prominent Fort Wayne citizen, Thieme recognized the importance of art to the community, and, in addition to the paintings, he donated his beautiful Queen Anne-style home at 1026 West Berry Street and ten thousand dollars to the Fort Wayne Art Association. They were given with the understanding that a new organization would be incorporated and called the Fort Wayne Art School. Thieme's generous donation would eventually become the foundation for the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

This 6-1/4" by 4-3/4" woodcut block was created by Esther Freese about 1910 at the first art school in Fort Wayne. Ink was applied to the block and pressed on paper to make a print. The image of two birds, blackened with old ink, has been carved out of the wood. It is attached to a very light wood and is nailed down to a backing board. Miss Freese (1892-1987) was a local teacher at Harmer School for many years.