May Post (1860-1929)

May (Mary) Audubon Post was born in New York City. She studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with William Merritt Chase, Cecilia Beaux, Charles Grafly, and Hugh Breckenridge. She also studied at the Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry with Howard Pyle. Post used a traveling scholarship from the Pennsylvania Academy to travel to Holland in 1901 and to Paris in 1902, where she studied with Lucien Simon and exhibited at the Salon. Subsequently, she lived in Philadelphia and painted Dutch genre scenes based upon her travels. She also illustrated several children’s books, often with Dutch imagery, including Bunnie Cottontail: A Rabbit’s Own Story (1909), Mother Goose in Holland (1912) and Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates (1915).

She was a member of the Philadelphia Watercolor Club, the Plastic Club of Philadelphia, and the Society of Independent Artists. She exhibited at the Paris Salon, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia Art Club, Art Institute of Chicago, National Academy of Design, and the Society of Independent Artists. A scholarship established in Post’s memory is awarded annually at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, who also holds a number of her works in their collection.

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