Drawing, Design for Title Page, "Occupations of Women and Their Compensation"; Designed by Alice Cordelia Morse (American, 1863–1961); USA; brush and gouache on greyish-brown paper, mounted on illustration board; Image: 25.6 × 17.5 cm (10 1/16 × 6 7/8 in.) Sheet: 30.7 × 22.6 cm (12 1/16 × 8 7/8 in.); Gift of Alice C. Morse; 2009-6-55
Alice Cordelia Morse (American, 1863-1961) was a prominent American artist of the Arts and Crafts movement who specialized in book-cover design. In 1879, Morse enrolled at the Women’s Art School of the Cooper Union, one of the few educational institutions of the period that accepted female students. Early in her career she worked as a glass painter for the firm of Louis C. Tiffany, before returning to the Cooper Union for postgraduate training in art and design. She began designing book covers in the late 1880s, and quickly became one of the most sought-after artists in the field. Her award-winning cover designs were purchased by renowned publishers, such as Charles Scribner’s Sons and G. P. Putnam’s Sons. When she retired, Morse gave a collection of her finished book covers to the Metropolitan Museum, and her designs for those covers (and some stained glass) to the Cooper Union Museum. Today, these graceful drawings are a highlight of Cooper Hewitt’s collection.
