A portraitist regarded as one of the most distinguished of the 19th century miniaturist, Sarah Goodridge was encouraged by her teacher Gilbert Stuart of whom it was said took more interest in her work than that of his talented daughter, Jane.

In addition to painting Stuart's portrait, she also completed ones of Daniel Webster and General Henry Lee as well as many other prominent figures of the day. She was highly productive, completing about two miniatures a week until her eyesight failed in 1850.

Sarah was born in Templeton, Massachusetts and showed early art talent but did not have the means for lessons because she was from a poor farm family of nine children. She sketched her first pictures with pins on peeled birch bark, ...