Catherine Maria Sedgwick

Art Historical Context

This delicate engraving, titled *Catherine Maria Sedgwick* and dated 1832, captures the likeness of its namesake through the collaborative talents of American artists Asher B. Durand, Charles C. Ingham, and James Herring. Measuring just 9 5/16 x 6 3/8 inches, it exemplifies the meticulous line work of 19th-century intaglio printing, where fine metal plates were incised by hand to produce sharp, reproducible images ideal for books, magazines, and personal collections. Created during a burgeoning era of American print culture, this portrait reflects the growing fascination with disseminating images of prominent women amid the nation's cultural awakening. Durand, later a leader of the Hudson River School, honed his skills in engraving early in his career, bridging painting and printmaking. Ingham and Herring, skilled portraitists, contributed to its refined detail, making it a testament to artistic teamwork. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department as a 1930 gift from Mrs. Frederic F. Durand, this work invites visitors to appreciate how engravings democratized portraiture, preserving faces and stories from early 19th-century America.

About the Artist

Asher Brown Durand|Charles Cromwell Ingham|James Herring|Catherine Maria Sedgwick · 1796–1886

Was a principal member of the Hudson River School. American artist; associated with the Hudson River School of landscape painting. Comment on works: Portraits