Dorothea Hart
Medium
Pastel on tone (now oxidized) laid paper
Dimensions
9 x 7 7/8 in. (22.9 x 20 cm)
Classification
Drawing
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1935
Accession Number
35.17
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the intimate world of early American portraiture, *Dorothea Hart* (1809) captures a poised profile of its namesake subject, crafted by the husband-and-wife team of Ellen Wallace Sharples and James Shar. The Sharpleses, British artists who emigrated to the United States in the late 18th century, specialized in delicate pastel profiles that offered an accessible alternative to grand oil paintings. This small-scale work, measuring just 9 x 7 7/8 inches, exemplifies their signature style—elegant silhouettes emphasizing facial contours, attire, and subtle expression, popular among the growing Am...
About the Artist
Ellen Wallace Sharples|James Sharples (British|British) · 1751 |1769 –1811 |1849
ca. 1751–1811|1769–1849