I really dig this self-portrait by Sarah Miriam Peale. The portrait looks like a photograph. This was done in 1818. She was the first successful female American portrait painter. She came from a very artistic family. She painted some very important people, including notable politicians and military figures. [Lafayette sat for her four times]. This would have been big stuff even for a male artist.

She was known as the most productive artist in Baltimore, with over 100 portraits to show from her studio in 1831. In 1847 she moved to St. Louis because of her failing health. You’d think that would be the end of her career, but it seemed to propel it . It was there that she became the first American female artist able to support herself with her work.

#art, #artist, #americanartist, #arthistory, #femaleartist, #portraitpainter, #portraitartist, #sarahmiriampealeart