Zoë Dusanne (1884-1972) was Seattle’s first professional modern art dealer, and the first woman and first African American to own their own gallery in the Seattle area.

Born in Kansas, Dusanne followed her parents to Seattle in 1912. In 1913 her mother, Leticia Graves, helped found the Seattle chapter of the NAACP and was its first President; Zoë and her father, James Henry Graves, were also founding members. In 1928, Dusanne moved with her daughter, Theodosia, to New York City, where she became friends with many artists and amassed a significant collection of modern art, which she brought back to Seattle upon her return in 1942. In 1947, Dusanne built a home at 1303 Lakeview Place, with a large, high-ceilinged living room serving as a personal gallery. At the urging of friends, Dusanne opened her collection to the public in 1950. Exhibiting works by internationally known modern artists as well as Northwest painters and sculptors, Dusanne exerted a major influence on the Seattle area by educating the public about modern art and promoting Northwest art and artists locally and internationally.

In 1958, Dusanne’s home was demolished to make room for the new freeway, and she opened a new gallery on at 532 Broadway E on Capitol Hill in 1959. Zoë Dusanne retired in 1964, closing her gallery and auctioning her entire collection.

Caption information source: "Dusanne, Zoe (1884-1972)" by Paula Becker, HistoryLink.org Essay 5222