ca. 1842
American
oil on canvas
Unframed: 29 1/2 × 24 1/2 in. (74.93 × 62.23 cm)
Framed: 39 1/4 × 34 in. (99.7 × 86.36 cm)
63.14
Not on view
One of the first female artists to achieve professional recognition in the United States, Sarah Miriam Peale studied with her father, James Peale; her famous uncle, Charles Willson Peale; and her cousin Rembrandt Peale, whose work is representedin the adjoining gallery. Like her illustrious relatives, she painted portraits of some of the leading politicians of her day, such as U.S. Representative Henry Wise of Virginia. A controversial figure, Wise—who also served as governor of the commonwealth from 1856 to 1860—was involved in such pivotal national issues as Indian removal, the trial of John Brown, and the Civil War.
Gift of the Duchess de Richelieu (née Douglas Wise) in memory of James M. Wise and Julia Wise
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC

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