A painter of streetscapes, florals, and interiors, Emma Lampert Cooper was born near Rochester, New York. She studied at the Cooper Union Art School and the Art Students League in New York, and at the Delecluse Academy in Paris. Returning to Rochester, she taught at the Mechanics Institute from 1893 and was active in the art life of the city until her marriage to the painter Colin Campbell Cooper in 1897. After traveling in Europe for a period of time, the couple settled in New York City. There, working in an impressionist style, she turned to her husband’s favorite theme, the architectural treasures of New York and other historic cities.

Like most plein air painters, the Coopers traveled constantly in search of subjects. In the spring of 1913, they visited Charleston, South Carolina. Though nothing is known about their stay, their visit is recorded in Colin’s paintings of some of the city’s most historic and cherished structures, including St. Philip’s Church, Charleston. During their trip, they also visited Beaufort, a small coastal town about seventy miles south of Charleston, noted for its picturesque buildings, alleyways, and streets. Emma’s Old Beaufort, South Carolina is of a subject that she and Colin both painted, probably side-by-side and on the same day. The fluent brushwork and radiant color are typical of her vivacious style.

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