Clare Boothe Luce

This Polycrhomed terra-cotta bust of Clare Boothe Luce appears in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.

"Clare Boothe Luce first gained notice at Vanity Fair magazine. Married to publishing mogul Henry Luce in 1935, she never held an official position in his enterprises, but had influence -- most memorably with the launch of Life magazine in 1936, She also distinguished herself as a playwright. Her acerbic comedy The Women, was a great Broadway hit. Turning to politics, Luce served two terms in Congress in 1942. When President Eisenhower named her ambassador to Italy in 1953, a Gallup poll ranked Luce among the world's most admired women. " -- National Portrait Gallery