Antoinette Francesca Rhett (1884-1964)
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Antoinette Rhett spent most of her art career in Charleston, South Carolina where she was a founding member of the Charleston Etchers’ Club and a regular member of the Charleston Sketch Club. Her subjects were scenes of Charleston and nature images including florals, butterflies, and tree limbs. Her etchings, in delicacy and detail of design, reflected the influence of Japanese art, but her use of color was original as she experimented with various colors of ink as well as hand-painted watercolors. Most of her prints are small in size and on very thin paper, giving the impression of fragility. Rhett was a part of the Charleston Renaissance, an early 20th-century artistic movement that brought special focus to that city. She also participated in national print exhibitions organized by the Brooklyn Society of Etchers, the Chicago Society of Etchers and the Art Alliance of Philadelphia. Alfred Hutty was her teacher at the Carolina Art Association and offered her strong encouragement.
Information courtesy of Charlton Hall Auctions