Background
Mary Solari was born in Calvari, in the comune of San Colombano Certénoli, near Genoa, in Liguria, Italy.
Mary Solari was born in Calvari, in the comune of San Colombano Certénoli, near Genoa, in Liguria, Italy.
The Solari family moved to Memphis, Tennessee soon after her birth, and Mary began her education in the Memphis public schools. She returned to her native Italy in 1878 to escape the yellow fever epidemic and study art In 1885, she became the first woman admitted to the Accademia di Belle Arti of Florence, where she earned nine medals and two master"s degrees while learning to paint in the tradition of the old masters, such as Michelangelo Buonarroti, Francesco da Sangallo, Agnolo Bronzino, Benvenuto Cellini, Giorgio Vasari, Bartolomeo Ammannati, and Giambologna.
After returning to Memphis in the early 1890s, she devoted her time to art instruction and art advocacy.
She was the author of influential articles on prison reform, criminal rehabilitation, and industrial training in the schools. Mary"s ideas and influence were also responsible for major reform and renovation of the Memphis City Hospital.
She wrote an opinion editorial to the Memphis Commercial Appeal titled, "If Christ should Come to Memphis, and Visit the Hospital, What Would He See?" This op-ed caused considerable uproar throughout the Memphis public, which led to the construction of a new City Hospital and a complete overhaul in practices. In addition, Mary was a major benefactor to Christian Brothers University (CBU).
As a new year"s gift in 1927, she donated 176 acres of land as well as her entire art collection to the Christian Brothers, with the exception of some works passed to her family.
Her paintings were on display at CBU"s original location on Adams Street, and then moved to its current location on East Parkway.