Nancy Coonsman Hahn
- BORN
-
August 28, 1887
Saint Louis, Missouri
- DIED
-
January 26, 1976
Winnetka, Illinois
- EDUCATION
-
St. Louis School of Fine Arts, Washington University
Saint Louis, Missouri
Nancy Coonsman Hahn was a St. Louis sculptor who was known for creating large-scale public sculpture.
She was born on August 28, 1887, in St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from Central High School in 1906. Hahn studied at the St. Louis School of Fine Arts at Washington University for four years with George Julian Zolnay and Charles Grafly. She also studied privately in New York with Gutzon Borglum and Abastenia Erberle. Hahn was an instructor at the Art Academy at People’s University in University City, Missouri in 1912, and she also offered private lessons.
In 1914, Hahn won the commission for the Margaret Kincaid Memorial Fountain in Lucas Park, St. Louis. The contest for this fountain was open to women artists only. The original design, with four frogs spraying water on two nude girls, was protested by the Women’s Protective League, but supported by other St. Louis artists. Ultimately the design was rejected. She was commissioned to make a new design, and the fountain was completed in 1915.
In 1919, Hahn won a state competition for the sculpture Victory Bringing Peace to be installed in Varennes, France, as the Missouri War Memorial. This memorial commemorated soldiers from Missouri who died in World War I. The state of Missouri paid $25,000 for the monument. Hahn traveled to France to work on the sculpture and for the unveiling, and remained there in 1922 and 1923. Hahn also was commissioned by the Daughters of the American Colonists to create the Memorial for Pioneer Women, a bronze sculpture of a mother and child installed in front of the Jefferson Memorial building in Forest Park in St. Louis in 1929. Unfortunately, the sculpture was stolen, but was recovered in the 1970s and is now inside the building. In 1926 Hahn sculpted The Doughboy for Veterans Park in Memphis, Tennessee. This sculpture was commissioned by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Hahn’s specialty was portrait busts, but she also created fountains for interiors and gardens. She made portrait sculptures of artist Ruth Felker and of prominent St. Louisian William Marion Reedy.
In 1930, Hahn permanently settled in Winnetka, Illinois, where she continued her career as a sculptor and became an active member of the North Shore Art League.
Nancy Coonsman Hahn died on January 26, 1976.
Society of Western Artists Exhibition
Organized by City Art Museum, Society of Western Artists
Organized by City Art Museum, Society of Western Artists
Civic League Art Exhibition
Organized by Civic League of St. Louis, St. Louis Public Library
Organized by Civic League of St. Louis, St. Louis Public Library
National Academy of Design Exhibition
Organized by National Academy of Design
Organized by National Academy of Design
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Panama-Pacific International Exposition
Organized by Panama Pacific Exposition Company
Organized by Panama Pacific Exposition Company
St. Louis Public Library Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Public Library
Organized by St. Louis Public Library
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Winter Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Architectural League Exhibition
Organized by Architectural League
Organized by Architectural League
St. Louis Society of Miniaturists Exhibition
Organized by Healy Gallery
Organized by Healy Gallery
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Architectural League Exhibition
Organized by Architectural League
Organized by Architectural League
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Architectural League Exhibition
Organized by Architectural League
Organized by Architectural League
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Architectural League Exhibition
Organized by Architectural League
Organized by Architectural League
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Midwestern Artists' Exhibition
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
Vanity Fair Exhibition
Organized by College Club
Organized by College Club
St. Louis Artists' Guild Summer Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Midwestern Artists' Exhibition
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Midwestern Artists' Exhibition
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League, City Art Museum
Organized by St. Louis Art League, City Art Museum
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Afloat: Artists and Rivers Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Mart
Organized by St. Louis Mart
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
St. Louis Artists' Guild Heritage Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Award, Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Award, St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Award, St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Award, St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Award, Missouri Centennial Exposition and State Fair Exhibition
Award, Midwestern Artists' Exhibition
Award, Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Award, Midwestern Artists' Exhibition
Award, Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Awards & Exhibitions 55
Society of Western Artists Exhibition
Organized by City Art Museum, Society of Western Artists
Organized by City Art Museum, Society of Western Artists
Civic League Art Exhibition
Organized by Civic League of St. Louis, St. Louis Public Library
Organized by Civic League of St. Louis, St. Louis Public Library
National Academy of Design Exhibition
Organized by National Academy of Design
Organized by National Academy of Design
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Panama-Pacific International Exposition
Organized by Panama Pacific Exposition Company
Organized by Panama Pacific Exposition Company
St. Louis Public Library Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Public Library
Organized by St. Louis Public Library
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Winter Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Architectural League Exhibition
Organized by Architectural League
Organized by Architectural League
St. Louis Society of Miniaturists Exhibition
Organized by Healy Gallery
Organized by Healy Gallery
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Architectural League Exhibition
Organized by Architectural League
Organized by Architectural League
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Architectural League Exhibition
Organized by Architectural League
Organized by Architectural League
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Architectural League Exhibition
Organized by Architectural League
Organized by Architectural League
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Midwestern Artists' Exhibition
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
Vanity Fair Exhibition
Organized by College Club
Organized by College Club
St. Louis Artists' Guild Summer Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Midwestern Artists' Exhibition
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Midwestern Artists' Exhibition
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
Organized by Kansas City Art Institute
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League, City Art Museum
Organized by St. Louis Art League, City Art Museum
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Afloat: Artists and Rivers Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Mart
Organized by St. Louis Mart
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Annual Exhibition of American Painting and Sculpture
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
Organized by Art Institute of Chicago
St. Louis Artists' Guild Heritage Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Award, Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Award, St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Award, St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Award, St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Award, Missouri Centennial Exposition and State Fair Exhibition
Award, Midwestern Artists' Exhibition
Award, Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Award, Midwestern Artists' Exhibition
Award, Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
References
Artist clippings file is available at:
Bibliography
Select Sources
Nancy Coonsman Hahn papers, 1900-1966. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/nancy-coonsman-hahn-papers-9670.
Charlotte Streifer Rubinstein, American Women Sculptors: A History of Women Working in Three Dimensions (Boston: G.K. Hall & Co, 1990), 197-198.
Peter Hastings Falk, ed., The Annual Exhibition Record of the Art Institute of Chicago, 1888-1950 (Madison, CT: Sound View Press, 1990), 228, 397.
Peter Hastings Falk, ed., The Annual Exhibition Record of the National Academy of Design, 1901-1950 (Madison, CT: Sound View Press, 1990), 142.
Peter Hastings Falk, ed., The Annual Exhibition Record of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Volume III, 1914-1968 (Madison, CT: Sound View Press, 1989), 3: 141-142, 221.
Glenn B. Opitz, Dictionary of American Sculptors, “18th Century to the Present" (Poughkeepsie, NY: Apollo, 1984), 165.
“Nancy Coonsman Hahn,” Chicago Tribune, February 1, 1976.
“A World-Famous St. Louis Sculptress Prefers Her Home City to Foreign Atmosphere," St. Louis Globe-Democrat Magazine, June 16, 1929, 7, 15.
“St. Louis Notes," American Magazine of Art, 17, no. 4 (April 1926): 202.
“Missouri Memorial Will Be Ready for Unveiling at Cheppy Nov. 11,” St. Louis Star and Times, October 3, 1922, 5.
“St. Louis Woman Sculptor Wins Commission to Execute $25,000 Monument to Missouri Soldiers," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 13, 1921, 12.
Anne André Johnson, Notable Women of St. Louis (St. Louis: Johnson, 1914), accessed September 8, 2022, https://archive.org/details/notablewomenofst00john/page/214/mode/2up?q=nancy+coonsman.
“Undraped ‘Kiddies’ in New Design for Library Fountain: Miss Nancy Coonsman, Competition Winner, Expects Acceptance, Despite This," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 4, 1914, 1.
“Park Chief to Pass on Library Fountain Statue," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 25, 1914, 13.
“Miss Nancy Coonsman’s Design Wins Library Fountain Award: Decoration for the Sunken Garden,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 24, 1914, 1.
“Art Exhibit to be Sent on the Road by Women’s Club; Patrons of Art in Small Towns to be Shown Best Works; St. Louis Artists and Sculptors Display Rare Talents," St. Louis Star and Times, January 5, 1913, 19.
Core Reference Sources
Anita Jacobsen, Jacobsen's Biographical Index of American Artists (Carrollton: A.J. Publications, 2002).
Peter H. Falk, et. al, Who was Who in American Art, 1564-1975: 400 Years of Artists in America (Madison: Sound View Press, 1999).
Mantle Fielding, Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors & Engravers (Poughkeepsie: Apollo, 1983).
Image Credits
Artwork
Nancy Coonsman Hahn, Doughboy, 1926.
Bronze.
Public art (Memphis, Tennessee)
Nancy Coonsman Hahn, Six children dancing and carrying a garland, 1915.
Bronze and Granite, 3’ x 2’ x 2’.
Public art (St. Louis, Missouri)
Contributors
Roberta Wagener, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Artist Record Published
Published on September 15, 2022
Learn more
References
Artist clippings file is available at:
Bibliography
Select Sources
Nancy Coonsman Hahn papers, 1900-1966. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/nancy-coonsman-hahn-papers-9670.
Charlotte Streifer Rubinstein, American Women Sculptors: A History of Women Working in Three Dimensions (Boston: G.K. Hall & Co, 1990), 197-198.
Peter Hastings Falk, ed., The Annual Exhibition Record of the Art Institute of Chicago, 1888-1950 (Madison, CT: Sound View Press, 1990), 228, 397.
Peter Hastings Falk, ed., The Annual Exhibition Record of the National Academy of Design, 1901-1950 (Madison, CT: Sound View Press, 1990), 142.
Peter Hastings Falk, ed., The Annual Exhibition Record of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Volume III, 1914-1968 (Madison, CT: Sound View Press, 1989), 3: 141-142, 221.
Glenn B. Opitz, Dictionary of American Sculptors, “18th Century to the Present" (Poughkeepsie, NY: Apollo, 1984), 165.
“Nancy Coonsman Hahn,” Chicago Tribune, February 1, 1976.
“A World-Famous St. Louis Sculptress Prefers Her Home City to Foreign Atmosphere," St. Louis Globe-Democrat Magazine, June 16, 1929, 7, 15.
“St. Louis Notes," American Magazine of Art, 17, no. 4 (April 1926): 202.
“Missouri Memorial Will Be Ready for Unveiling at Cheppy Nov. 11,” St. Louis Star and Times, October 3, 1922, 5.
“St. Louis Woman Sculptor Wins Commission to Execute $25,000 Monument to Missouri Soldiers," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 13, 1921, 12.
Anne André Johnson, Notable Women of St. Louis (St. Louis: Johnson, 1914), accessed September 8, 2022, https://archive.org/details/notablewomenofst00john/page/214/mode/2up?q=nancy+coonsman.
“Undraped ‘Kiddies’ in New Design for Library Fountain: Miss Nancy Coonsman, Competition Winner, Expects Acceptance, Despite This," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 4, 1914, 1.
“Park Chief to Pass on Library Fountain Statue," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 25, 1914, 13.
“Miss Nancy Coonsman’s Design Wins Library Fountain Award: Decoration for the Sunken Garden,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 24, 1914, 1.
“Art Exhibit to be Sent on the Road by Women’s Club; Patrons of Art in Small Towns to be Shown Best Works; St. Louis Artists and Sculptors Display Rare Talents," St. Louis Star and Times, January 5, 1913, 19.
Core Reference Sources
Anita Jacobsen, Jacobsen's Biographical Index of American Artists (Carrollton: A.J. Publications, 2002).
Peter H. Falk, et. al, Who was Who in American Art, 1564-1975: 400 Years of Artists in America (Madison: Sound View Press, 1999).
Mantle Fielding, Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors & Engravers (Poughkeepsie: Apollo, 1983).
Contributors
Roberta Wagener, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Artist Record Published
Published on September 15, 2022
Updated on None
