Chicago Society of Etchers

Membership extended outside of the United States, including artists from England, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, India, China and Japan.

[1] In 1909, to popularize the medium of etching, Bertha Jaques and other etchers in Chicago formed the Needle Club, an informal collective of etchers passionate about reintroducing the American public to the art of etching.

The organization was primarily responsible for showing members’ etchings at the Art Institute of Chicago.

It attracted international members and was successful at popularizing etching in 20th-century America.

[3] Society members pooled funds for annual prizes for new prints, to be gifted to the Art Institute, and tithed ten percent of their dues to the museum for new print acquisitions.