after Thomas Sully (English-American, 1783-1872)

Lady with a Harp: Eliza Ridgely 

Reproduction print

No visible signature

Visible 6 1/2 in. x 11 in., matted and framed to 12 1/2 in. x 17 in. 

A portrait depicting Eliza Ridgely at the age of fifteen, the daughter of Nicholas Ridgely, a wealthy Baltimore merchant. She is pictured wearing a satin Empire-style gown, characteristic of upper-class female fashion of the period, and is gently posed with a harp. The instrument serves as a symbol of her elevated social standing as well as her artistic talent and intellectual refinement. The portrait presents Eliza with a consciously idealized appearance.

Originally born in England before becoming a naturalized American citizen in 1809, Sully studied painting under Benjamin West and was inspired by Thomas Lawrence. He created over 2,300 paintings over his 70-year career, including portraits of Presidents Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson; the Marquis de Lafayette; and Queen Victoria. The original painting this print is based on was executed in 1818 and lives in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. 

Note: This lot cannot be packaged and shipped in-house. Successful bidders winning items marked as being packaged and shipped by a third-party service are responsible for paying the third party directly. We are happy to offer complimentary drop-off service to local third-party packing/shipping companies in Columbus, Ohio.

[Art, Folk Art, Military Art, Etching, Engraving, Lithographs, Prints, Ephemera]