Sunday in Austin

Today's visit was to the home of a sculptor
Elisabet Ney.

Formosa Studio

In 1892, European portrait sculptress Elisabet Ney (1833-1907) purchased property in Austin, established a studio named Formosa and resumed her career as a noted sculptor of notables.

At Formosa, Ney sculpted legendary Texans, among them Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston.  Ney also assembled at her American studio portraits of European notables, including King Ludwig II of Bavaria, Otto von Bismarck, Arthur Schopenhauer and Jacob Grimm rendered from life as a young artist in Europe. 

From Studio to Museum

At the turn of the 19th century, Elisabet Ney’s studio became a gathering place for influential Texans drawn to “Miss Ney” and to the stimulating discussions of politics, art and philosophy that took place there.  Following Ney’s death in 1907, her friends preserved the studio and its contents as the Elisabet Ney Museum and established the Texas Fine Arts Association dedicated to her memory. 

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And then home again to College Station along some quiet country back roads...