For our ongoing celebration of Women’s History Month this March, we delve into the visual narratives of remarkable women who have shaped our history and culture. Our featured illustrations bring to life the stories of figures like Peggy O’Neill Eaton (of the notorious Petticoat Affair), socialite Sallie Ward, biblical Queen Esther, patriotic Betsy Ross, feminist icon Mary Tyler Moore, fashion designer Peggy Hoyt, and groundbreaking actress Sarah Bernhardt, each leaving an enduring legacy in their respective eras. Complementing these historical portrayals are captivating cover illustrations for the feminist novels Stand We At Last and A Woman’s Place, whose stories offer a glimpse into the fictional yet relatable experiences of women navigating society’s challenges.
This large canvas by Stanley Meltzoff presents a compelling tribute to influential women throughout history. Following the publication of this image in McCall’s magazine in 1959, Meltzoff enhanced the composition by incorporating a portrait of his mother, strategically placed at the painting’s upper center. The work encompasses a diverse array of women spanning centuries, including prominent political figures, authors, entertainers, artists, and socialites. Among them are: Helen Keller, the Duchess of Windsor, Marie Antoinette, Rosa Bonheur, Greta Garbo, Mary Queen of Scots, Eleanor Roosevelt, Anna Pavlova, Mary Baker Eddy, George Eliot, Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Lady Astor, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, Anne Boleyn, Marie Curie, Queen Victoria, Emmeline Pankhurst, Sarah Bernhardt, Madame de Pompadour, Jenny Lind, Jane Austen, Catherine the Great, Florence Nightingale, Mary Pickford, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Catherine de’ Medici, Louisa May Alcott, Queen Isabella, Elizabeth I, Lucrezia Borgia, and Harriet Beecher Stowe. A tear sheet of the published image accompanies the painting.
View more original illustrations by Stanley Meltzoff here
Peggy O’Neil Eaton
This painting by Mead Schaeffer depicts a romantic encounter between Peggy O’Neil and her first husband, John Timberlake. The accompanying caption reads: “It was inevitable that Peggy should fall in love—and she did, with John Timberlake, who had little besides his face to recommend him.” It was created in 1930 for the third installment of The Red Book Magazine’s “Women America Remembers” series, which features stories of women famous for “personality, beauty, wit or audacity, or because of the tragedy left in their train.”
Margaret (“Peggy”) O’Neil Eaton remains a figure of historical intrigue, primarily for her central role in the “Petticoat Affair,” a significant political scandal during Andrew Jackson’s presidency. The circumstances surrounding Peggy’s marriage to John Eaton, occurring shortly after the death of her first husband, John Timberlake, and her family’s background as tavern-keepers, coupled with her perceived impudent personality, subjected her to intense social scrutiny in Washington D.C. Upon John Eaton’s appointment as Secretary of War, Peggy faced social ostracism led by Floride Calhoun, wife of Vice President John Calhoun, who deemed her conduct unbecoming of a Cabinet wife. President Jackson, perceiving this as a personal and political affront, vehemently defended the Eatons. This controversy precipitated a major rift within the Cabinet, culminating in the resignations of key figures, including Vice President Calhoun and ultimately contributing to Martin Van Buren’s political ascent.. The “Petticoat Affair” profoundly impacted Jackson’s administration, leading to a substantial reorganization of his government. It remains a colorful chapter in the political history of the United States.
View more original illustrations by Mead Schaeffer here
Sallie Ward
Alice Barber Stephens’ oil en grisaille painting immortalizes the Kentucky belle, Sallie Ward, welcoming soldiers returning home from the Mexican War to Louisville. Created for a 1901 Ladies’ Home Journal article, part of a series celebrating historical beauties, the image is accompanied by the caption: “They greeted her with a tumultuous joy as she received them seated on her horse with all the majesty of a young empress.”
Sallie Ward Lawrence Hunt Armstrong Downs, a prominent 19th-century Kentucky socialite, was famed for her beauty, charm, and bold fashion choices, reflecting her independent spirit. Born into one of Kentucky’s most esteemed families, her father Robert Johnson Ward was Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives. Her first marriage, to Timothy Bigelow Lawrence, ended in divorce within a year, reportedly due to her nonconformist style clashing with his conservative Massachusetts circle. Sallie then embraced a life of opulence in New Orleans with her second husband, Dr. Robert P. Hunt, hosting lavish gatherings in their grand residence. The Civil War, however, divided the couple, with Sallie supporting Lincoln and Dr. Hunt aligning with the Confederacy, ultimately losing his life in battle. Sallie subsequently married wealthy merchant Vene Armstrong and, following his passing, George F. Downs, spending her later years in Louisville.
View more original illustrations by Alice Barber Stephens here
Esther
The Book of Esther recounts the tale of a valiant Jewish woman who, through her beauty and wisdom, ascended to become Queen of Persia under King Ahasuerus. When the king’s advisor, Haman, devised a plot to exterminate the Jewish people, Esther, aided by her cousin Mordecai, persuaded the king to overturn the decree, thus averting their destruction. The Jewish holiday of Purim, as detailed in the Book of Esther, commemorates this deliverance and Esther’s crucial role in safeguarding her people within a foreign realm.
Willy Pogany’s illustration masterfully captures the dramatic intensity of Esther’s plea to the King, visually underscored by her accusatory gesture, as she points a condemning finger towards Haman, revealing his genocidal scheme. A Hungarian artist of remarkable versatility, Pogany was a prominent figure during the Golden Age of Illustration, celebrated for his exquisite work on numerous books, notably The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám. His signature Art Nouveau style, characterized by its seamless fusion of mythological and natural elements within intricate drawings and dreamlike watercolors, solidified his reputation as a master illustrator.
Pogany’s artistic vision extended beyond the printed page. During his time in New York City, he created captivating stage designs for the Metropolitan Opera, and later, in Hollywood, he produced celebrity portraits and set designs before returning to New York. This diverse experience and versatility is reflected in the illustration’s composition, where the stylized spatial arrangement and the dynamic foreground action evoke the visual language of theatrical production, despite its function as a book illustration.
View more original illustrations by Willy Pogany here
Betsy Ross
Dean Cornwell’s large scale oil painting, commissioned by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, presents a domestic scene of Betsy Ross crafting the first American flag surrounded by her family. This depiction of a pivotal moment in American history adorned Goodyear’s 1958 calendar and other promotional materials. The vibrant painting exemplifies Cornwell’s exceptional ability to evoke the spirit of American patriotism and moments of national pride.
Betsy Ross, born Elizabeth Griscom in 1752, ran a successful upholstery business in Philadelphia, actively contributing to the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War through the production of uniforms, tents, and flags. Following the death of her first husband, John Ross, it is said that in the summer of 1776, George Washington and two members of the Continental Congress visited her upholstery shop. They presented a sketch of a flag design featuring thirteen stripes and thirteen six-pointed stars. Ross proposed the change to five-pointed stars for ease of production, demonstrating her technique with a single cut of her scissors. The design was amended, and Ross purportedly made the first American flag shortly after that meeting.
View more original illustrations by Dean Cornwell here
Mary Tyler Moore
William Ware’s striking portrait of Mary Tyler Moore, featured on the October 1974 cover of The Saturday Evening Post, vividly captures the personality of the actress at the height of her Emmy-winning sitcom’s popularity, which had then just entered its fifth season. Ware used a vibrant red palette for Moore’s ensemble and the background, amplifying her dynamic personality and reflecting the character she so memorably portrayed on screen. This image was Ware’s only published cover for the Post.
Mary Tyler Moore’s profound impact on television stems from her nuanced portrayal of Mary Richards in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” a character who redefined the image of the single, professional woman. During the burgeoning women’s liberation movement in the 1970s, Moore’s performance offered a refreshing depiction of independence and ambition, showcasing a woman who found fulfillment in her career and friendships, rather than solely in romantic pursuits. This groundbreaking show challenged traditional sitcom norms, presenting a female lead who was successful, capable, and unapologetically focused on her own goals.
Beyond her iconic role, Moore’s influence extended to television production. As a producer alongside her then husband Grant Tinker, she helped create a show that resonated deeply with audiences, prompting a reevaluation of narratives of women in the workplace and the role of women in television. The show’s immense popularity, along with its spin-off “Rhoda,” paved the way for subsequent female-centric comedies, setting a standard that continues to inspire creators today. Moore’s legacy endures as a testament to her pioneering spirit and her ability to portray complex, relatable female characters who shaped the landscape of modern television.
Peggy Hoyt
Charles Sheldon’s exquisitely detailed portrait of fashion designer Peggy Hoyt was featured in the September 1922 art supplement of Woman’s Home Companion. Hoyt models a striking Art Nouveau hat from her autumn millinery collection: a close-fitting turban crafted from opulent satin, its severity artfully softened by delicate, glycerined ostrich feathers. Sheldon employed multiple photographic studies of Hoyt to achieve the nuanced rendering of this elegant portrait.
Peggy Hoyt, born Mary Alice Stephens, began her fashion career at seventeen as an apprentice in a Fifth Avenue millinery shop and would go on to become a highly successful fashion designer whose creations rivaled the elegance of Parisian couture. By 1910, with a modest $300 loan from her mother, Hoyt established her own millinery boutique on Fifth Avenue, a hub of luxury retail, and by 1915, Peggy Hoyt, Inc. was a thriving enterprise. She ultimately relocated her growing business to the elegant Phillip Rhinelander mansion at 16 East 55th Street in Manhattan in the late 1910s. There, she introduced women’s apparel to her offerings and transformed the stately mansion into one of America’s most exquisite fashion destinations.
Hoyt swiftly established herself as a leading American designer of gowns and millinery. Her signature aesthetic, characterized by delicate pastels, shimmering rhinestone embellishments, and distinctive handkerchief hems, underscored her unwavering commitment to meticulous craftsmanship. For nearly two decades, she catered to an exclusive clientele across major American cities, solidifying her legacy in the world of high fashion.
View more original illustrations by Charles Sheldon here
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt’s groundbreaking portrayal of Hamlet, performed in French, is masterfully captured in Alphonse Mucha’s poster. Mucha emphasizes the play’s themes of vengeance and mortality, depicting the ghost of Hamlet’s murdered father haunting the ramparts of Elsinore in the background, while the tragic drowned Ophelia, adorned with flowers, rests in a coffin-like panel at Hamlet’s feet. This powerful image marks Mucha’s final poster commission that depicts the celebrated French actress. The vintage poster is linen-backed and is in excellent condition.
Bernhardt famously played Hamlet in 1899, becoming the first woman to embody the role on stage and later in a film adaptation. Her bold interpretation challenged conventional gender roles and pushed the boundaries of performance, establishing her as a pioneer in both theater and early cinema.
Feminist Novels
This striking illustration was used on the cover of Marita Golden’s celebrated novel A Woman’s Place, published by Ballantine Books in 1986. Set against the backdrop of the transformative late 1960s, this story explores the enduring bond between three Black women who meet at a New England college. Faith, Crystal, and Serena navigate the complexities of race, gender, and familial expectations as they strive to define their own paths. Their friendship serves as a vital source of support as they confront the challenges of their evolving lives and relationships. Originally published in 1986, the story provides a compelling look at the intersection of personal growth and social change.
James Barkley’s diverse illustration portfolio spans children’s books, literary classics, advertising, and more. His artwork has graced the covers of books by esteemed authors such as Stephen King and James Baldwin, and his work has been featured in prominent publications, like National Geographic. A committed educator, Barkley has taught at Parsons School of Design and the University of Bridgeport, while also lecturing at institutions like the Pratt Institute and the Society of Illustrators. His broad range of commissions, from opera productions to album covers, underscore his remarkable artistic versatility.
This illustration by Ben Stahl was published on the cover of the feminist novel Stand We At Last by Zoë Fairbairns, published in 1983 by Houghton Mifflin. The multi-generational story chronicles the lives of five extraordinary women, spanning from Victorian England to 1960s America, who defied societal expectations in their pursuit of independence. Their journeys, both physical and emotional, took them across continents, from the Australian outback to the far reaches of the British Empire, where they challenged conventions and lived with passion and courage. This sweeping feminist novel, published in 1983, centers around the historical struggle for women’s emancipation, weaving a compelling tale of resilience and empowerment across a century of change.
View more original illustrations by Benjamin Stahl here
To further explore the contributions of women in illustration, we invite you to browse our extensive genre collection of works by Women Artists, available here.