A Life in Cincinnati
Born in 1860, Caroline Augusta Lord spent her years rooted in the rhythms of Cincinnati. Her path through the art world began at the Art Academy of Cincinnati in 1884, where she sat in the studios of Thomas Satterwhite Noble and Lewis C. Lutz. These early years were defined by a steadying education within her home city. In 1890, she traveled to Paris, finding herself among the students at the Académie Julian under the guidance of Jean-Paul Laurens and Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant. It was in this French setting that she met Elizabeth Nourse.
The movement of her life continued toward New York in 1892. There, she studied with Kenyon Cox at the Art Students League of New York. Her work found its way into the Paris Salon between 1892 and 1895. Back in the United States, she contributed to the Cincinnati Room of the Woman's Building during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. For thirty-four years, she remained a fixture at the Art Academy of Cincinnati as a teacher.
The Acme Laundry Series
In 1911, Lord turned her attention to a specific corner of Cincinnati life. She produced a series of three paintings focused on the women working at the Acme Laundry, located at 911 Vine Street. These works capture the employees within the space established in 1907. Her brush recorded the presence of these women in their daily environment.
Other pieces from her time include:
- Woman with Geraniums (ca. 1900), held in the Cincinnati Art Museum
- Seated Woman (Reflection) (1913)
Memberships and Legacy
Lord’s presence in the local art community was marked by her involvement in specific groups. She was a member of the Society of Western Artists and the Cincinnati Women's Art Club. Her life ended in Cincinnati in 1927.
