From collection Person
”Anne Eisner was an artist best known for her work depicting life in the Congo. However, along with her sister Dorothy, Anne stayed on Cranberry Island and formed relationships with the many artists of the island. She painted the scenery of the island, and found much inspiration from the unique geography of the area. The following excerpt is from the booklet ‘Artists of Cranberry Isles’ written by Wini Smart:
”Both Anne and her sister, Dorothy Eisner, followed the artistic path. It’s not often that siblings both have the same talent. The two girls had similar schooling: study at the Art Students League, New York, and at the Académie de la Grand Chaumiere, Paris. Then both girls began promising careers painting and exhibiting in New York in the 1930s.
”Anne showed at the Chicago Art Institute, Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney. Dorothy was also painting, and active in art circles. But in the 40s, while Dorothy was co-founding a group of modern painters, Anne was on her way to the Belgian Congo in Africa.
”[...] But the truth is that Anne had fallen in love with Patrick Putnam, an anthropologist with a camp and hospital in the Congo. His house served as a hotel, and with added guest houses, complete with tennis courts, he attracted Western tourists. Patrick entranced Anne with stories of the Mbuti [people] and the exquisite tropical forest. She sold her paintings for a one-way ticket, and joined him at Camp Putnam on the Epula River at the edge of the rain forest.
”Anne became the first white woman to spend considerable time in a Mbuti camp, where she painted the people and recorded their stories and legends. While not a trained anthropologist, she attempted to make a systematic study. Anne and Patrick bought many African sculptures and woodcarvings, trying to establish a market in the states.
”After Patrick’s death in 1953, Anne was unable to keep the camp open. She returned to New York the next year and produced a large body of work from her memories of Africa. These proved to be some of her best works, and resulted in several large exhibitions.”
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