M. Louise (Mary Louise) McLaughlin

Born in 1847, M. Louise McLaughlin was an American artist and author best known for her work in china painting and ceramics. Research from the Cincinnati Art Museum and other historical sources credits her as the first American to develop a successful technique for decorating ceramics under the glaze, achieving an important breakthrough in January 1878.

Her work earned attention in places such as New York and Paris, and it helped establish Cincinnati as a leading center for American art pottery. In 1898, she also became the first artist to produce studio porcelain in the United States, extending her influence beyond decoration into the making of porcelain itself.

McLaughlin also wrote practical books on ceramic decoration, sharing techniques with other artists at a time when professional opportunities for women were often limited. She died in 1939, leaving a legacy as both an innovator and a teacher whose work shaped the history of American decorative arts.