Lou Wall Moore
American dancer and sculptor (c. 1860–1924)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lou Wall Moore (née Lula Belle Wall; c. 1860–1924) nicknamed "Princess Lou", was an American sculptor, stage actress, costume designer, dancer, and socialite from Chicago.[1][2][3] She was known for early modern dance interpretations of ancient Greek dance, as well as appearing in Grecian plays, and for portraying Salome.[2][4][5] Her sculptures were primarily busts, done in an ancient Greek style.
c. 1860
Lou Wall-Moore
Lou Wall Moore | |
|---|---|
 Moore (c. 1908) in "The Fatal Dance of Salome" | |
| Born | Lula Belle Wall c. 1860 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | March 13, 1924 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Burial place | Bellefontaine Cemetery, St Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Other names | Princess Lou, Lou Wall-Moore |
| Education | Lexington Baptist Female College |
| Alma mater | School of the Art Institute of Chicago |
| Occupations | Sculptor, stage actress, dancer, costume designer, socialite |
| Spouse | Albert "Bert" Wasson Moore (m. 1880–1915; death) |
Early life and education
Lou Wall Moore was born c. 1860 in St. Louis, Missouri,[6] to parents Frances Elizabeth (née Calvert) and Captain Nicholas Wall. Her father was a riverboat captain and a noted steam boatsmen.[7] Her family had moved to Montana Territory around the time she was born, and they remained there until 1876.
Moore attended the Lexington Baptist Female College (around 1878; now part of Wentworth Military Academy and College) in Lexington, Missouri.[8] She continued her education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (around 1901), and studied sculpture under Lorado Taft.[9][2]
As sculptor
Moore was particularly focused on creating bust portraits, statuettes, and reliefs.[2] She often sculpted in a Greek-style.[2] Some of her notable bust sculptures included noted pianist, Fannie Bloomfield Zeisler; professor at Northwestern University, James Taft Hatfield; cellist, Paul Kefer; Chauncey Blair's daughters; civil engineer, Ralph Modjeski's son; and stage performer, Valeria Alicia English.[2]
In 1903, Moore served as the vice president of the Art Students League of Chicago.[10] She won an award at the Saint Louis Exposition for her sculpture.[2]
As performer and costume designer
In 1910, Moore was invited to dance in the White House before President Theodore Roosevelt.[11] Around June 1910, Moore had joined the Sylvan Players, and prior to that she had danced with the Ben Greet Players.[2][12]
In June to July 1910, she appeared wearing in tights in a performance of "Les Romanesque" in Bloomington, Illinois; it made front page news in the Chicago Tribune, and caused a "religious war" within the Bloomington community when the Deacon of the Methodist church spoke against her performance.[2][13][14]
Moore appeared in the cast of many productions at the Chicago Little Theatre, many of which were Grecian plays.[11][15] She designed the costumes for The Trojan Women in 1913 held at the Chicago Little Theatre.[16]
She was a co-founder alongside poet Maxwell Bodenheim of “The Shop,” a bohemian social club in Chicago.[17]
Personal life and death
For many years she lived at 5476 Ridgewood Court in Chicago, Illinois.[2] She was married to Albert Wasson Moore in 1880; the marriage ended when he died on February 21, 1915.[18]
She died after battling pneumonia on March 13, 1924, in her home on Ridgewood Court,[11] she was around age 60. She is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.
