Eliza Ridgely: More Than Her Portrait
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Date
2021
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Citation of Original Publication
Pollauf, Jacqueline. "Eliza Ridgely: More Than Her Portrait." American Harp Journal (2021)
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Abstract
Lady with a Harp, painted in 1818, is one of American artist Thomas Sully’s best known
portraits.1 Eliza Ridgely poses with her harp in front of a window opening onto a pastoral scene.
For some, the harp in the portrait may be seen simply as an instrument of beauty, emphasizing
Eliza’s grace and elegance. For others, the inclusion of the harp is a signal of wealth,
highlighting Eliza’s class and social status. The harp was not a prop; Eliza was an accomplished
harpist and a dedicated musician, but it is impossible to separate the harp from its significance as
an indicator of privilege. Eliza Ridgely lived a life in which music could be both a rewarding and
serious artistic pursuit and a superior accomplishment that secured an elevated position in
society. However, these cultural benefits were only made possible by Eliza’s position of
privilege in a society dependent on chattel slavery.