Portrait of Charlotte and Sarah Carteret-Hardy1801 · Study 1942.642

Context from the museum

Charlotte (left) and Sarah were 19 and 21, respectively, when this portrait was painted on the occasion of Sarah’s marriage to the topographer Daniel Lysons. The sisters wear fashionable gowns and jewelry, but their affectionate posture conveys a sisterly tenderness that transcends glamour. There was a seemingly insatiable demand for Thomas Lawrence’s portraits representing stylish English society, but he was notoriously slow working. Although this picture was begun in 1801, it still was not finished in 1806 when a friend noted its presence in the artist’s studio.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

Lawrence was a child prodigy and largely self-taught. At the early age of 10, he made accomplished portraits in crayon.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Portrait of Charlotte and Sarah Carteret-Hardy is 103 cm wide and 129 cm high, equivalent to approximately 40.6 × 50.8 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.80:1. The rectangular bounding area is 1.33 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 34.3% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 98.5 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Portrait of Charlotte and Sarah Carteret-Hardy in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on canvas, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 103 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?