{ "viewingDirection": "left-to-right", "metadata": [ { "label": "Origin Place", "value": "Meudon, France" }, { "label": "Provenance", "value": "By vote of the Association on November 13, 1967 these manuscripts were placed on permanent deposit in the Houghton Library. The Association reserves the right to withdraw manuscripts from time to time for display or other special purposes." }, { "label": "Physical Location", "value": "Houghton Library" }, { "label": "Extent", "value": "10pp" }, { "label": "Funding", "value": "" }, { "label": "Abstract", "value": "

In the hope of inspiring and educating other young female artists, My Owl<\/i> follows the protagonist from Paris to London as they embark on a journey to find success in their passion for art. Along the way, the protagonist connects with a taxidermy owl, who serves as more than just an inspiration for an art piece. The taxidermy owl is painted by the protagonist, whose work then gets accepted into the Paris Salon, which was a significant achievement for female artists at the time, given the societal circumstances of the art world. The owl follows the young artist through their career and eventually leads the protagonist to more than just a spot in a prestigious art exhibition. The owl fatefully leads the protagonist to meet the man who eventually becomes the husband of the artist. Abigail May Alcott Nieriker provides us with an engaging composition, as most of the story is up for interpretation based on the reader's perception. The figure of the owl acts as a companion to the protagonist, enabling a sense of progress in their artwork. Some readers may interpret this piece as either non-fiction or fiction; with some parts reflecting May Alcott's exhibitions in the Paris Salon, like the protagonist's portrait of an owl. These reflections are unclear though, as there is no concrete distinction directly made by Alcott Nieriker herself. Alcott Nieriker brings life to the stuffed owl, creating an ambiguous representation. <\/p>" }, { "label": "Date of Creation", "value": "1878" }, { "label": "Title", "value": "My Owl" }, { "label": "Material", "value": "Paper" }, { "label": "Classmark", "value": "MS Am 1817" }, { "label": "Acquisition", "value": "Deposited by The Louisa May Alcott Memorial Association, Concord, Massachusetts; received: 1967 November 13." }, { "label": "Subject(s)", "value": "Alcott family; Alcott, May, 1840-1879; Alcott, May, 1840-1879--Travel--Europe; Alcott, May, 1840-1879--Criticism and interpretation; Women artists--United States--Biography; Americans--Europe--History--19th century; Painting--Study and Teaching" }, { "label": "Data Source(s)", "value": "The history of My Owl<\/i> has unclear beginnings, but it is agreed that its basis is Alcott Nieriker's travels through Europe (from 1873 to 1879). Through these travels, Alcott Nieriker hoped to gain experience and success in the Nineteenth-Century art world. The original manuscript was collected by the Louisa May Alcott Memorial Association in a larger travelogue, An Artist\u2019s Holiday<\/i>. The collection of tales contains two sets of handwriting - one assumed to be that of Abigail May Alcott Nieriker, the other, her sister Louisa's. Since My Owl<\/i> was collected with the travelogue, authorship is under debate (primarily as chapters one and six, as labelled by the Houghton Library, were published under Louisa's name). However, Alcott Nieriker's correspondence with Louisa May Alcott suggests that Alcott Nieriker laid the groundwork for My Owl<\/i> but it is unclear if she ever intended this manuscript to be included with An Artist's Holiday<\/i>. Currently, both original manuscripts, housed at the Houghton House Repository, are part of a recovery research project being undertaken by Dr. Marlowe Daly-Galeano Ph.D., a researcher and lecturer at Lewis Clark State College, Idaho." }, { "label": "Language(s)", "value": "English" }, { "label": "Author(s)", "value": "Abigail May Alcott Nieriker" }, { "label": "Bibliography", "value": "

Alcott, Louisa May and May Alcott Nieriker, Little Women Abroad: The Alcott Sisters' Letters from Europe, 1870-1871<\/i>, ed. Daniel Shealy, University of Georgia Press, 2008<\/div>
Dabbs, Julia K. \"Empowering American Women Artists: the Travel Writings of May Alcott Nieriker\", Nineteenth Century Art Worldwide<\/i>, Vol. 15, No. 3, Autumn 2016<\/div>
---, May Alcott Nieriker, Author, and Advocate: Travel Writing and Transformation in the Late Nineteenth Century<\/i>, Anthem Press, 2022<\/div>
Fink, Lois M., American Art at the Nineteenth Century Paris Salons<\/i>, Cambridge University Press, 1990<\/div>
Flint, Azelina and Hehmeyer, Lauren, The Forgotten Alcott<\/i>, Routledge 2022<\/div>
McElroy, Guy, Facing History: The Black Image in American Art, 1710-1940<\/i>, Bedford Arts, 1990<\/div>
Ticknor, Caroline, May Alcott: A Memoir<\/i>, 1928. Reprint. Applewood Books, n.d.<\/div><\/div>
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