Portrait of Charlotte and Sarah Carteret-Hardy
1801
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1801
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see two young women in pale, flowing gowns, leaning close—one resting her hand on the other’s shoulder. Lawrence painted this just before Sarah’s wedding, but he took years to finish it. The sisters’ easy pose feels real, not just posed. Their dresses and jewels show off the latest London fashion, yet the warmth between them steals the scene. For more portraits of English high society, look up Thomas Lawrence (British, 1769–1830).
