Early Life and Education
- Born: January 28, 1900, in Merion Square, Pennsylvania
- Parents: George Washington Neel (accountant) and Alice Concross Hartley Neel
- Family moved to Colwyn, Pennsylvania in early 1900s.
- Fourth of five children; experienced the loss of her older brother, Hartley, at a young age.
- Raised in a middle-class family with limited expectations for women.
- Graduated high school and took a clerical position to support her family.
- Studied art classes in Philadelphia by night.
- Enrolled in the fine art program at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women (now Moore College of Art & Design) in 1921.
- Rejected Impressionism, embracing the Ashcan School of realism, influenced by Robert Henri.
- Won honorable mention twice for painting and received the Kern Dodge Prize in 1925.
- Graduated from Philadelphia School of Design for Women in 1925.
Marriage, Havana, and Early Career
- Married Cuban painter Carlos Enríquez on June 1, 1925.
- Moved to Havana, Cuba, where she was embraced by the Cuban avant-garde movement.
- Developed her political consciousness and commitment to equality in Havana.
- Exhibited with her husband in the XII Salon des Bellas Artes in 1927 alongside prominent Cuban artists like Eduardo Abela and Marcelo Pogolotti.
- Had her first solo exhibition in Havana (date unconfirmed).
- Daughter, Santillana, was born in 1926 but tragically died of diphtheria the following year.
Return to the United States and Personal Struggles
- Returned to the United States with her second daughter, Isabella Lillian (Isabetta), in 1927.
- Carlos Enríquez left for Cuba, taking Isabetta with him.
- Suffered a nervous breakdown and attempted suicide following these losses.
- Hospitalized and placed in the suicide ward of Philadelphia General Hospital.
- Returned to her parents' home after being deemed stable in 1931.
- Later relationships were tumultuous, resulting in two more children.
Artistic Style and Major Themes
- Style: Expressionistic use of line and color; psychological acuity; emotional intensity.
- Subject Matter: Primarily portraits of friends, family, lovers, poets, artists, and strangers.
- Themes: Motherhood, loss, anxiety, the human condition, social commentary.
- Notable works include "Well Baby Clinic," a bleak portrayal of mothers and babies in a maternity clinic.
- Her portraits often challenged traditional depictions of women, employing a female gaze to illustrate their awareness of objectification.
Recognition and Legacy
- Initially overlooked during the rise of Abstract Expressionism.
- Gained significant critical recognition in the 1970s.
- Received a National Women’s Caucus for Art award from President Jimmy Carter in 1979.
- Called "one of the greatest portrait artists of the 20th century" by Barry Walker, curator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
- A retrospective exhibition of her work was organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 2010.
- Her work continues to be celebrated for its honesty, psychological depth, and powerful depictions of human experience.
- Died: October 13, 1984.
