I always love discovering forgotten female artists and assisting in trying to bring some light upon them when bringing their works to market. This fabulous pastel painting is by the talented American female painter Alma Royer Lorraine originally from Ohio but later moved painting primarily in the Seattle area. Alma was well trained after attending the Art Institute of Chicago and then later the Academy Julian in Paris. Upon moving back to the United States she married and exhibited works at the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1893. Lorraine later showed 14 works in 1904 in one of Seattle’s first art shows at the Women’s Century Club where she exhibited her well-received portrait of Princess Angeline, the daughter of Chief Sealth Seattle. This work was painted just one year prior to her death in 1896 and has since become an important later portrait of Angeline. Later exhibiting works at the Pan Pacific Exhibition in 1915 Alma passed in 1952 after having a long life of which only a minimal amount of information is known. She was talented and not given the proper recognition when alive.

This cute canine portrait shows a little white and brown terrier sitting against a grey background staring directly at the viewer. Executed in pastel this painting is signed in the low left corner “Lorraine” and dated 1936. While she is noted as being a portraitist of animals I have not been able to locate any other examples. Resting in its original wood frame measuring 23.25 x 19.25 inches the pastel measures 18.5 x 14.5 inches and is in overall good condition showing some minimal foxing primarily in the low portion of the work under the dog just above the frame. There is also a single rusty nail that has made itself known at the top-right edge visible just poking out from under the frame’s edge. The images provided accurately represent the quality, condition and aesthetic beauty of this Alma Royer Lorraine but if you have any questions please feel free to ask!