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Catalog Data

Artist:
Charles Bird King, 26 Sep 1785 - 18 Mar 1862  Search this
Sitter:
Sarah Weston Seaton, 1789 - 1863  Search this
Augustine Seaton, 1810 - 1835  Search this
Julia Brailsford Butt Seaton, 1812 - 1889  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
Stretcher: 112.4 x 87cm (44 1/4 x 34 1/4")
Frame: 134.6 x 108.6 x 10.2cm (53 x 42 3/4 x 4")
Type:
Painting
Place:
United States\District of Columbia
Date:
c. 1815
Exhibition Label:
Born Sheffield, England
In this playful group portrait, Sarah Weston Seaton’s son Augustine dangles a bunch of cherries just beyond the reach of his sister, Julia. He holds a book that makes his purpose clear: The Art of Teasing Mad[e] Easy Washing[ton] 18–. After 1810, Sarah Seaton’s husband, William Seaton, and her brother, Joseph Gales Jr., were co-owners of the National Intelligencer. Under their editorship, this important newspaper covered congressional proceedings and was the official printer for Congress until the late 1820s. Sarah Seaton, who was fluent in French and Spanish, occasionally translated documents for the newspaper. The Seatons also played leading roles in the political and cultural affairs of Washington, D.C. Their close connections with legislators and the new capital’s diplomatic corps are recounted in Sarah Seaton’s diary and letters.
This portrait was painted in Washington by one of the Seatons’ neighbors, Charles Bird King, who, like them, lived just a few blocks from this building.
Nacida en Sheffield, Inglaterra
En este simpático retrato grupal, Augustine, hijo de Sarah Weston Seaton, sostiene un racimo de cerezas justo fuera del alcance de su hermana Julia. Con la otra mano sostiene un libro que aclara su propósito: El arte de tentar con facilidad Washing[ton] 18–. A partir de 1810, William Seaton y Joseph Gales Jr., esposo y hermano de Sarah Seaton, respectivamente, fueron dueños del National Intelligencer. Bajo su dirección, este importante periódico cubrió los procesos congresionales y fue el impresor oficial del Congreso hasta fines de la década de 1820. Sarah Seaton, quien dominaba el francés y el español, tradujo algunos documentos para el periódico. Los Seaton también fueron influyentes en la política y la cultura de Washington D.C. De sus buenas relaciones con los legisladores y el cuerpo diplomático queda constancia en los diarios y cartas de Sarah Seaton.
Este retrato fue pintado en Washington por un vecino de los Seaton, Charles Bird King, quien al igual que ellos vivía a unas cuadras de este edificio.
Topic:
Nature & Environment\Plant\Flower\Flowers  Search this
Interior\Domestic  Search this
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Sofa  Search this
Printed Material\Book\Pamphlet  Search this
Nature & Environment\Fruit\Cherries  Search this
Julia Brailsford Butt Seaton: Female  Search this
Sarah Weston Seaton: Female  Search this
Augustine Seaton: Male  Search this
Portrait  Search this
Credit Line:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; bequest of Armida B. Colt
Object number:
S/NPG.2011.147
Restrictions & Rights:
CC0
See more items in:
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Exhibition:
Out of Many: Portraits from 1600 to 1900
On View:
NPG, East Gallery 140
Data Source:
National Portrait Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4545de901-e043-403c-94e3-9bb30f1886c0
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_S_NPG.2011.147