Mary Belle de Vargas
Mary Belle de Vargas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | March 4, 1902 Natchitoches, Louisiana |
| Died | January 18, 1946 Natchitoches, Louisiana |
| Occupation | Artist |
Mary Belle de Vargas (March 4, 1902 – January 18, 1946) was an American artist from Louisiana, known as "the Armless Marvel".
Early life[edit]
Mary Belle de Vargas was born in Natchitoches, Louisiana, on March 4, 1902, the daughter of Richard de Vargas and Laure Dranguet de Vargas. Her father was a local jeweler and optometrist. Born without arms,[1] she soon learned to use her strong legs, feet and toes, in place of her missing arms and hands; she was able to feed and groom herself, to write, draw and paint.[2] She graduated from St. Mary's Academy in Natchitoches in 1921,[3] and earned a college degree in arts and Spanish from Louisiana State Normal College in 1932.[4]
Career[edit]
In adulthood, de Vargas worked actively as an artist, from her own studio in Natchitoches.[5] She won regional and national awards for her paintings,[6] gave art lectures, taught art classes for children (including a future mayor of the city),[7] and headed several professional art organizations.[5][8] Her studio attracted curious visitors and tourists, who thrilled to see her autograph a photo souvenir, and took note of her adaptive clothing, sewn by her mother: capes instead of sleeves, trousers sewn into dresses to allow her the full use of legs without immodesty.[9] She was featured on a cigarette card, and in a "Ripley's Believe it or Not!" cartoon panel.[6]
Personal life[edit]
Mary Belle de Vargas lived with her parents all her life.[10] She died in 1946 at the age of 44, in Natchitoches.[11] Her admirer and correspondent Gualterio Quinonas published a biography, The Armless Marvel, Mary Belle (1949).[12] In 2005, there were plans for an exhibition of surviving paintings and drawing by de Vargas, in Natchitoches.[9]
References[edit]
- ^ "Armless La. Woman Artist Dies". The Times. 1946-01-19. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-07-05 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Luckie, Lane (2008-05-23). "Meet the woman profiled in 'The Armless Marvel'". Lane Luckie. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
- ^ "Graduates Feted". The Natchitoches Times. 1921-06-10. p. 5. Retrieved 2020-07-05 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Louisiana, Northwestern State College of (1923). Catalogue. Northwestern State College of Louisiana. p. 165.
- ^ a b Joyous Coast Foundation (2003). Natchitoches. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-1499-4.
- ^ a b Harris, Josephine (1938-11-06). "Armless, She Can Turn Out Top Art Jobs". The Times. p. 2. Retrieved 2020-07-05 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Miller, Robin (2005-07-10). "On her Toes". The Town Talk. p. 29. Retrieved 2020-07-05 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Conaway, K. Franklin (1949-10-23). "Marvelous Mary Belle Conquered Her Handicaps". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- ^ a b Miller, Robin (2005-07-10). "On her Toes (continued)". The Town Talk. p. 34. Retrieved 2020-07-05 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mary Belle De Vargas in the 1940 Census". Ancestry. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
- ^ "Death Ends Career of La. Artist". The Shreveport Times. 1946-01-20. p. 10. Retrieved 2020-07-05 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Quinonas, Gualterio (1949). The armless marvel, Mary Belle. New York: North River Press. OCLC 2994564.
