Existing comment:
Patience Wright 1725–1786
Born Oyster Bay, New York
America's first native-born sculptor, Patience Wright modeled portraits of celebrities in tinted wax, exhibiting them with success in Philadelphia and New York. Her sculpting career began as a domestic activity with her five children. After her husband's death in 1769, though, this pastime became a profession. Not long afterwards, a fire destroyed much of her collection, an event that led her to relocate to England. There Wright pursued portrait commissions and established a museum to display new examples of her work. This venture proved an instant sensation and won her an enthusiastic following that included King George III. When war broke out in 1776, she fell from favor in royal circles due to her open support for the colonial cause. Later proclaiming that "women are always useful in grand events," Wright became an American spy and sent intelligence to Benjamin Franklin in Paris.
Unidentified artist
Oil on canvas, c. 1782 |