Anna Heyward Taylor was a descendant of a wealthy cotton planting family from Columbia, South Carolina whose grandfather owned one of the largest cotton plantations in the State. In 1929, she moved to Charleston permanently and became known for her woodblock prints of women flower vendors, usually posed against historical landmarks in the city. She was one of the Charleston Renaissance group of artists, active between 1915 and 1940, that did etchings and prints of Charleston scenes that were widely circulated and brought national recognition to the area. Taylor recognized the poor working conditions textile laborers, and some of her works indicate a concern with the plight of the working class.
