Without Hands: The Art of Sarah Biffin

Emma Rutherford,Ellie Smith,Essaka Joshua,Alison Lapper,Elle Shushan

ISBN 10: 1913645363 / ISBN 13: 9781913645366

Published by Paul Holberton Publishing 2022-11-01, 2022

About this Item

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Seller Inventory # 6666-GRD-9781913645366

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Without Hands: The Art of Sarah Biffin
• Publisher: Paul Holberton Publishing 2022-11-01
• Publication Date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1913645363
• ISBN 13: 9781913645366
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

A celebration of an artist whose under-sung legacy testifies to the enduring power of originality, drive, and devotion. Accompanying an exhibition at Philip Mould & Company, Without Hands presents the art of Sarah Biffin. Biffin (1784–1850) was born with phocomelia, a condition described on her baptism record as "born without arms and legs." After learning to sew and write as a child, Biffin joined a traveling sideshow where she painted in front of an audience. Eventually, she rose to fame as a talented miniaturist, signing many of her works "without hands." Despite her prolific output, including commissions from royalty and exquisitely detailed self-portraits, Biffin's work has been overlooked by art historians. Beautifully illustrated and including original research, Without Hands celebrates Biffin as an artist who challenged contemporary attitudes to disability.

About the Author

Emma Rutherford is a portrait miniatures consultant at Philip Mould & Company, London. Ellie Smith is a researcher at Philip Mould & Company, London.