Miss Satterlee
Charles Bird King
ca. 1830-1839
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Albert M. Pitcher, Jr.
Accession Number
1976.117
Tags
parrotbust
About this artwork
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 Satterleeâs bosom. Her fashionable clothing, intricate hairstyle, and fair, unblemished skin suggest that she, like her pet, lived a sheltered and protected life.