Rare 1876 Cabinet Card Photo – Painter Nellie Hopps Howard, Early Western Artist for Sale

Rare 1876 Cabinet Card Photo – Painter Nellie Hopps Howard, Early Western Artist For Sale

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Rare 1876 Cabinet Card Photo – Painter Nellie Hopps Howard, Early Western Artist:
$96.00

Rare 1876 Cabinet Card Photo – Painter Nellie Hopps Howard, Early Western Artist in Yokohama
This is an original cabinet card photograph of American painter Nellie Hopps Howard, taken by Warren’s Portraits, 465 Washington St., Boston, and dated November 20, 1876. Measuring approximately 4 1/4 x 6 1/4 inches, the card features a clear portrait of Howard from early in her career. A minor crease at the right edge (not affecting the portrait) and small archival tape are noted but do not detract from its overall presentation.
Warren’s Portraits was a prominent 19th-century photographic studio located at 465 Washington Street in Boston, operated by George Kendall Warren (1834–1884). Warren began his photographic career in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1851, initially specializing in daguerreotypes. In 1870, he transitioned to paper-based photography, where he became known for photographing notable figures of the era, including Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Frederick Douglass. His work is characterized by high-quality portraiture that captured the likenesses of many prominent individuals of the 19th century.
Nellie C. Hopps Howard (1855–1956): American Artist and Cultural Bridge in Meiji Japan
Born on December 6, 1855, in San Francisco, California, Nellie C. Hopps Howard was a pioneering American painter known for her landscape and Orientalist works. She began her artistic journey in San Francisco, where she maintained a studio on Montgomery Street and exhibited with the San Francisco Art Association in the early 1880s.
In 1884, Nellie married Benjamin Chandler Howard, an agent for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. Shortly after their marriage, Benjamin was transferred to Yokohama, Japan, where Nellie would reside for over three decades.
During her time in Yokohama, Nellie immersed herself in the local culture and continued her painting. Her works from this period often depicted Japanese landscapes and scenes, reflecting a blend of Western techniques and Eastern subjects. One notable piece, "Shinu Shrine, Gifu, Japan," painted in 1887, exemplifies this synthesis.
Nellie's contributions extended beyond her art; she played a role in fostering cultural exchange between Japan and the West during the Meiji era. Her long-term presence in Yokohama, at a time when few Western women lived there, underscores her unique position as both an artist and a cultural intermediary.
After returning to the United States, Nellie lived in California until her passing on December 6, 1956, in Laguna Beach. She was laid to rest at Cypress Lawn Cemetery in Colma, California.
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