Helen Corson Hovenden
Helen Corson Hovenden was a Philadelphia area painter specializing in portraits of family pets, birds, and flowers.Early life and education
Born in Whitemarsh township, Helen Corson was the daughter of George and Martha Corson. She attended the Philadelphia School of Design for Women before traveling to Paris in 1875 to study painting at the Académie Julian, and she exhibited at the Paris Salons of 1876, 1879 and 1880. While in Paris she also met artist Thomas Hovenden, and the two would marry in 1881, having returned to the United States the previous year.Career
Following her marriage, Helen settled with her husband on her father's homestead in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. From 1881 to 1895, they used the Corson family barn, now known as Abolition Hall, as their studio.Work
