Violet Oakley

Violet Oakley (1874 - 1961) was an American artist widely known for her accomplishments as a muralist. Born in New Jersey to a family of artists, including both her grandfathers. At the age of 21, she traveled to France with her family where she got exposed to the works of great Impressionists. She attended Académie Montparnasse and took lessons from painters Raphaël Collin and Edmond Aman-Jean. After her family returned to America, she went to Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, which became her permanent home. Her sister Hester, who was studying illustration at Drexel Institute, urged her to join there, and that's where she became a student of the famous illustrator Howard Pyle. It was under his guidance that her talent flourished. In 1902, architect Joseph M. Huston selected Violet Oakley to decorate the new Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg solely based on her immense talent. Over the next 25 years, Oakley was commissioned to paint a total of 43 murals for state buildings in Harrisburg, including the Capitol Rotunda, Senate, and Supreme Court chambers. Oakley was a prolific artist who continued to work until her last day. She led a large group from Philadelphia on a tour of her work in Harrisburg when she was 81 years old. Oakley was politically active and supported the League of Nations, the United Nations, and Cold War nuclear disarmament. She was also a member of the “Red Rose Girls” along with fellow artists Elizabeth Shippen Green and Jessie Willcox Smith. Together, they transformed the Red Rose Inn on Philadelphia’s Main Line into a communal art gallery where they lived and worked together. This was quite revolutionary at the time and pushed against the strict gender roles. Oakley was instrumental in establishing The Plastic Club in Philadelphia which aimed to promote “art for art’s sake” and the Philadelphia Art Alliance.