The painting of flower pieces is a delightful art for man or woman, but so many such pictures which are by amateurs are seen in exhibitions—­too good to be refused but not of a satisfactory quality—­that one can scarcely sympathize with the critic who would have Mme. Preuschen paint other subjects than these charming blossoms, so exquisite in form and color, into which she paints so much delightful sentiment.

PUEHN, SOPHIE. Born at Nuremberg, 1864.  This artist studied in Paris and Munich and resides in the latter city.  At the International Exhibition, Vienna, 1894, her portrait of a “Lady Drinking Tea” was praised by the critics without exception, and, in fact, her portraits are always well considered.  That she is also skilful in etching was shown in her “Forsaken,” exhibited in 1896.

PUTNAM, SARAH GOOLD. Member of the Copley Society.  Born in Boston.  Pupil in Boston and New York of J. B. Johnston, F. Duveneck, Abbott Thayer, and William Chase; in Scheveningen, of Bart.  J. Blommers; and in Munich, of Wilhelm Duerr.

Miss Putnam’s portrait of Hon. John Lowell is in the District Court Room in Post-Office Building, Boston; that of William G. Russell, in the Law Library in the Court House, Pemberton Square, same city; that of General Charles G. Loring, for many years Director of Boston Museum of Fine Arts, belongs to his family; among her other portraits are those of Dr. Henry P. Bowditch, Francis Boott, George Partridge Bradford, Edward Silsbee, Mrs. Asa Gray, and Lorin Deland.  In addition to the above she has painted more than one hundred portraits of men, women, and children, which belong to the families of the subjects.

PUYROCHE, MME. ELISE. Born in Dresden, 1828.  Resided in Lyons, France, where she was a pupil of the fine colorist, Simon St. Jean.  Mme. Puyroche excelled her master in the arrangement of flowers in her pictures and in the correctness of her drawing, while she acquired his harmonious color.  Her picture called the “Tom Wreath,” painted in 1850, is in the Dresden Gallery.

QUESTIER, CATHERINE. Born in Amsterdam.  In 1655 she published two comedies which were illustrated by engravings of her own design and execution.  She achieved a good reputation for painting, copper engraving, and modelling in wax, as well as for her writings.

RAAB, DORIS. Third-class medal, Nuremberg; also second-class medal, 1892.  Born in Nuremberg, 1851.  Pupil of her father, Johann Leonhard Raab, in etching and engraving.  She has engraved many works by Rubens, Van Dyck, and Cuyp; among her plates after works of more recent artists are Piloty’s “Death Warrant of Mary Stuart,” Lindenschmidt’s “In Thought,” and Laufberger’s “Hunting Fanfare.”  This artist resides in Munich.