Adelaide Alsop Robineau

Adelaide Alsop Robineau (1865-1929) was a ceramic artist from Syracuse, N.Y. Her work was heavily influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement (Gustave Stickley and his publication, The Craftsman were also from Syracuse).

She began, like many women hobbyists of the day, to paint china. But her desire for a more "hands on” experience led her into the world of clay and porcelain. She was an unusual woman for her time, having three children and her own successful potter's studio. Adelaide and her husband also edited Keramic Studio, a ceramics publication that focused on ceramic design and technique.

Adelaide Alsop Robineau, Scarab Vase, 1910, Courtesy of Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY

She studied painting with William Merritt Chase in New York City, and ceramics at Alfred University. She taught at Syracuse University and the People’s University of the American Woman’s League. She is most noted for her "Scarab Vase" (1910), an immense and intricate piece she spent over 1000 hours building and carving. This celebrated piece won the Grand Prize in pottery at the 1910 Turin International Exhibition.