Mrs. William Man Godschall (Sarah Godschall, 1730–1795)
1791
Medium
Pastel on paper, laid down on canvas
Dimensions
23 3/4 x 17 3/4 in. (60.3 x 45.1 cm)
Classification
Pastels & Oil Sketches on Paper
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Wiesenberger, 1961
Accession Number
61.182.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant pastel portrait by English artist Russell captures Sarah Godsch (1730–1795) the age of sixty-one, presenting her as a dignified figure of late eighteenth-century British society. Painted in 1791, the work reflects the enduring tradition of portraiture among the gentry, where such images served both as personal mementos and statements of status. The sitter, identified by her married name, appears composed and reflective, her features rendered with the soft precision characteristic of Russell’s mature style. Russell, a Royal Academician celebrated for his mastery of pastel, chose t...