Miss Satterlee

Charles Bird King, Miss Satterlee, ca. 1830-1839, oil on wood, 17 ⁵⁄₈ x 14 ¹⁄₈ in. (44.8 x 35.8 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Albert M. Pitcher, Jr., 1976.117

Free to use

Artwork Details

Title: Miss Satterlee
Artist: Charles Bird King
Date: ca. 1830-1839
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
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Luce Foundation Center
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3rd Floor
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4B
Dimensions: 17 ⁵⁄₈ x 14 ¹⁄₈ in. (44.8 x 35.8 cm.)
Credit Line: Gift of Albert M. Pitcher, Jr.
Mediums Description: oil on wood
Classifications: Painting
Subjects: Animal — bird — parrot
Portrait female — Satterlee, Miss — bust
Object Number: 1976.117
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1976.117

Artwork Description

Miss Satterlee sat for Charles Bird King in his Washington studio. Her pet golden pheasant grips her forefinger and thumb, its elegant body mirroring the shape of her delicate hand. For a painter of his time, King made a rather daring choice in positioning the bird to call attention to Miss Satterlee’s bosom. Her fashionable clothing, intricate hairstyle, and fair, unblemished skin suggest that she, like her pet, lived a sheltered and protected life.