Lady with a Harp – Eliza Ridgely
1818
Eliza Ridgely was a young, wealthy heiress when Thomas Sully painted her in 1818, capturing the youthful charm of early American high society. She stands elegantly beside a large harp, wearing a flowing white empire-waist gown and a blue shawl, looking every bit the Romantic-era ideal of grace and refinement. Sully painted this while she was visiting Baltimore, and it quickly became one of his most celebrated portraits, showcasing his mastery of light and fabric.
Location: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.