, New York, American Society
of Miniature Painters, and Water-Color Club, Boston. Born in Newburyport,
Massachusetts. Studied in Helen M. Knowlton's studio and at Cowles Art
School, Boston, and at Art Students' League, New York.

[Illustration: MINIATURE OF PERSIS BLAIR

LAURA COOMBS HILLS]

Miss Hills is a prominent and successful miniaturist, and her numerous
pictures are in the possession of her subjects. They are decidedly
individual in character. No matter how simple her arrangements, she gives
her pictures a cachet of distinction. It may be "a lady in a black gown
with a black aigrette in her hair and a background of delicate turquoise
blue, or the delicate profile of a red-haired beauty, outlined against
tapestry, the snowy head and shoulders rising out of dusky brown velvet;
but the effect is gem-like, a revelation of exquisite coloring that is
entirely artistic."

"An attractive work," reproduced here, "may be called a miniature
picture. It is a portrait of a little lady, apparently six or seven years
old, in an artistic old-fashioned gown, the bodice low in neck and cut in
sharp point at the waist line in front; elbow sleeves, slippers with
large rosettes, just peeping out from her dress, her feet not touching
the floor, so high is she seated. Her hair, curling about her face, is
held back by a ribbon bandeau in front; one long, heavy curl rests on the
left side of her neck, and is surmounted by a big butterfly bow. The
costume and pose are delightful and striking at first sight, but the more
the picture is studied the more the face attracts the attention it
merits. It is a sweet little girl's face, modest and sensible. She is
holding the arm of her seat with a sort of determination to sit that way
and be looked at so long as she must, but her expression shows that she
is thinking hard of something that she intends to do so soon as she can
jump down and run away to her more interesting occupations."

<b>HINMAN, LEANA MCLENNAN.</b>

[_No reply to circular_.]

<b>HITZ, DORA.</b> Born at Altdorf, near Nuremberg, 1856. During eight
years she worked under the direction of Lindenschmit, 1870-1878. She was
then invited to Bucharest by the Queen of Roumania, "Carmen Sylva." Here
the artist illustrated the Queen's poem, "Ada," with a series of
water-color sketches, and painted two landscapes from Roumanian scenery.
Between 1883 and 1886 she made sketches for the mural decoration of the
music-room at the