Florence MacKubin was born on May 19, 1857, in Florence, Italy, where her parents were living temporarily.
Her father, Charles Nicholas Mackubin, and her mother Ellen (Fay), were members of old well-known Maryland families; one of her grandfathers had served as treasurer of the Western Shore in 1839.
Developing early in life a talent for drawing and painting, Mackubin was placed under the masters of Florence and Nice, later studying in Munich with Herterrich and with Julius Rolshoven and Louis Deschamps in Paris.
She also studied miniature painting in Paris with Jeanne Devina. She became thoroughly familiar with the Italian, French, and German languages and read widely in the literature of these countries.
Upon returning to America, Mackubin adopted Baltimore as her home and took a keen interest in its affairs. Under a commission from the Governor and Board of Public Works of the State of Maryland, she made a copy of Van Dyck's portrait of Queen Henrietta Maria, after whom the state of Maryland was named, for the State House at Annapolis. While engaged in this work at Warwick Castle she was asked by Lady Warwick to paint her portrait.
She made copies of the portraits of George and Cecilius Calvert, the first and second lords Baltimore, under a special commission from the Baltimore Club. The originals hang in Windlestone Hall, the seat of Sir William Eden at Windlestone, England.
At the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, she exhibited an oil portrait of Cardinal Gibbons which was later taken to the Maryland Historical Society. While staying at her summer home, "Oriole Cottage, " St. Andrews, New Brunswick, she painted portraits of several prominent Canadians, among them Sir William Van Horne. She exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, in 1893; in Paris in 1900, Buffalo in 1901, Charleston in 1902, and St. Louis in 1904.
Residing in Europe during the early part of the World War, she wrote a number of letters to the Baltimore Sun on the war, full always of her Americanism in spite of long periods spent abroad. She was a member of the Maryland Association Opposed to Women Suffrage and expressed her views on several occasions.
Mackubin died in Baltimore on February 2, 1918.
Mackubin painted portraits and miniatures of several distinguished men of Maryland; among them a portrait of Gov. Lloyd Lowndes for the Maryland State House at Annapolis, a portrait of Prof. Basil L. Gildersleeve for the University of Virginia, which is considered one of her best; another of Prof. Marshall Elliott for the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. She received a number of awards, including a bronze medal and diploma for miniatures at the Tennessee Exposition in 1897. A number of her miniatures are in the Walters Gallery, Baltimore. Her work won recognition not only in Baltimore but elsewhere for its exquisite quality.
a member of the Maryland Society of the Colonial Dames of America
Quotes from others about the person
"In the death of Miss Florence MacKubin, this Society has lost a valued and esteemed member, the State of Maryland a loyal and devoted daughter and the world of art a conscientious and meritorious disciple. " - Richard H. Spencer.
