Sarah Emlen Roberts, Mrs. Harry Ingersoll 1841

Thomas Sully painted Sarah Emlen Roberts, Mrs. Harry Ingersoll, in the United States, at a time when portraiture was the dominant form of painting demanded by wealthy patrons. Sully gained fame creating idealized likenesses of American high society. The trappings of wealth and status are evident in the details of dress and setting. This portrait tells us about the subject’s place in the world. Mrs. Ingersoll’s refined features and elegant attire speak to a life of privilege. Note the delicate pearl bracelet and the luxurious fabric of her gown. But what does her reserved expression tell us? Is it simply a reflection of the constraints placed on women of her class? Or is there a hint of something more complex beneath the surface? To understand this painting more fully, a social historian might consult letters and diaries from the period, genealogies, or other documentation. These give a richer understanding of the social dynamics and the expectations of women in the 19th century. Art always exists within a specific social and institutional context, and our understanding of it is enriched when we consider these forces.