Description:
Watercolor botanical drawing of a thistle with two flying insects on either side of its head, which is inscribed in ink at the bottom, "Drawn by Sally Rogers." Born in Lempster, New Hampshire, Sarah (Sally) Rogers (c.1789-1871) was an artist without the use of her arms and legs. Starting in 1806, she toured the country from Boston to Northampton, Mass., and Cooperstown, NY, to Charleston, SC, creating watercolors and cutting silhouettes, both of which she sold. An 1806 ephemeral pamphlet in the collection of the American Antiquarian Society titled "A Real Object of Charity" contains a brief biographical sketch of Rogers. She often put herself on public display for two hours at a time, three times a day; admission to see her varied with the venues, sometimes 25 cents or 50 cents. The "Hampshire Gazette" records that Sally Rogers spent time on exhibition at Pomeroy's Tavern in Northampton. For part of this time, she toured with another disabled artist, Martha Ann Hunnewell (c.1787-after 1848) who was known for her production of cut silhouettes (see HD 2010.22, HD 2010.23.1). In 1816, Miss Rogers married Thomas Lamb (c.1788-1871) of New London, New Hampshire, and retired from her travels to Wendell (now Sunapee Township), New Hampshire. Records show that she lived a long life, dying in 1871, and is buried in Pioneer Cemetery in Hartford, Michigan.
Tags:
people with disabilities Subjects:
Watercolor painting Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2006.14.1 |
