The Art of the Miniature
Eda Nemoede Casterton was an American painter distinguished for her mastery of portrait miniatures. Working in watercolor, pastels, and oil, she achieved international recognition for her ability to create "small paintings painted in a big way." Her technique was characterized by well-realized, strongly modeled, and carefully detailed portraits that possessed a poetic evocation of mood and a fidelity to physical likeness. She was particularly drawn to the subject of children, expressing a desire to capture young girls outdoors with the wind in their hair and the sky's deep blue in their eyes.
Her early career involved painting on thin sheets of ivory, as seen in works such as Miss Goss and Little Girl. Beyond miniatures, she also produced full-size portraits in oil and pastels. Her technical skill earned her several accolades, including an honorable mention at the Paris Salon and a Silver Medal at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915.
Life and Legacy
Born in Brillion, United States, Eda Nemoede studied at the Minnesota or Minneapolis School of Fine Arts. While working as a stenographer, she utilized her lunch hours to study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago under Virginia Richmond Reynolds. Her professional journey took her to France, where she studied with Henry Salem Hubbell and exhibited at the Paris Salon.
Throughout her career, Casterton was an active member of several professional organizations, including:
Her artistic legacy is preserved in prestigious institutions, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, and the John H. Vanderpoel Art Association. She spent her later years in Missoula, Montana, before passing away in Palos Verdes Estates, California.
