Lecturer Jennifer Dasal tells the little-known story of The American Girls Club in 19th century Paris.
After nearly two years of research, taking her from historic Parisian neighborhoods to archival collections at the Smithsonian, Jennifer Dasal’s newest book The Club: Where American Women Artists Found Refuge in Belle Epoque Paris, is set to release this summer.
Dasal, an art curator, podcast host, traveling lecturer and author, released her first book, ArtCurious: Stories of the Unexpected, Slightly Odd, and Strangely Wonderful in Art History, in September 2020. The book consists of 12 chapters, each offering an uncommon perspective on some of the most well-known artists.
Her upcoming book, The Club, tells the little-known story of a private refuge in Montparnasse, Paris, created by a wealthy philanthropist as a safe haven for late 18th-century American women who felt a calling to pursue the fine arts. The narrative captures the lives of the young women who lived in the private residence and took solace in the community it created, all while studying painting and shaping the next generation of artists.
Dasal became an expert in this particular era of art history long before she came across The American Girls Club. As a graduate art history student, she researched French painting from the 18th to 19th century, up to the Impressionist era.
“There isn’t anything that I actively dislike throughout art history,” Dasal said. “I pretty much can find something to love about all of it. But French art was really my bread and butter.”
Dasal was unaware of the American Girls Club until a guest approached her at a lecture event. With her in-depth expertise in this particular era of art history, Dasal quickly became fascinated by the topic.
“I was giving a talk in I think 2021 at a museum in Florida, and a woman came up to me and said ‘Have you ever heard about the American Girls Club in Paris?’” Dasal said. “I thought, ‘That sounds weird. Sounds like a historical fiction book to me.’ And then she said, ‘Oh no, It was a real place in the late 19th century. If you were an artist, you could go and stay there.’ So that story stuck with me, especially because I love and know a lot about that time period. I was shocked to know that this was something that I had never heard of. So the more that I started researching it, the more I realized that it was this cool story.”
Research for the book led Dasal to museums and university archives, including the National Gallery of Art. She also returned to Paris, where she had previously done research on French paintings as a graduate student, to stay at the site of where The American Girls Club once took place at 4 Rue de Chevreuse in Montparnasse. Currently home to Reid Hall, the Columbia University building houses a number of global learning initiatives, including residential fellowships for creative artists.
When asked about her hopes for readers of The Club, Dasal emphasized the importance of creating supportive spaces for women to pursue their passions.
“More than anything, I hope that people realize that stories about women matter and continue to matter,” Dasal said. “And places that are made specifically for women have benefits. I think these kinds of places continue to have relevance, and they were able to create this supportive environment that allowed this generation of women to grow as artists.”
Beyond her upcoming book, Dasal continues to share her expertise in French artwork as a traveling lecturer. Visit the site of The American Girls Club and trace the steps of their artistic journeys with Dasal as your guide. Learn the painting techniques they studied on an impressionist painting retreat in Paris and Normandy.
The Club by Jennifer Dasal will be available in-stores on July 15, 2025. Pre-order your copy today.
