James Sharples
1751–1811 · British · 8 artworks
RococoPastel applicationSmall-scale portraitureProfile and three-quarter viewsEmphasis on likenessLimited color palette
artist bio
James Sharples was an English-born painter who achieved considerable success in the United States creating pastel portraits of prominent figures. He is best known for his small-scale, lifelike portraits of American Founding Fathers and other notable individuals of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
what you'll learn
Studying Sharples' work allows students to understand the techniques of pastel portraiture and the stylistic conventions of the Rococo period in America. Students can also learn about the historical context of the figures he portrayed and the importance of portraiture in documenting history.
related: John Singleton Copley, Gilbert Stuart
