Charcoal Club

Gertrude Elizabeth Blood , later LLC, enrolled in an art class taught in Florence by Frank Duveneck , an ambitious American artist. She went on to become one of the core members of the group...

Duveneck also brought along fifteen of his own male art students, called the Duveneck boys. A small clique of artists, both men and women, began to meet each week in Florence for artists' social...

Other members of the Charcoal Club included Gertrude Blood's friend Lizzie Boott (who finally married Duveneck in 1886, overcoming the scepticism of her friends because of her greater wealth and higher social position), Miss Gordan

Gertrude Blood's skill in art made great progress at the class for ladies taught by Frank Duveneck , and as a member of the Charcoal Club . Her cultural education was completed with singing...