Without Hands The Art of Sarah Biffin |
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Editor:
| Rutherford, Emma Smith, Ellie |
Contribution by:
| Joshua, Essaka Lapper, Alison Shushan, Elle |
ISBN: | 978-1-913645-36-6 |
Publication Date: | Jan 2023 |
Publisher: | Paul Holberton Publishing
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Book Format: | Paperback |
List Price: | USD $25.00 |
Book Description:
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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....
More Description
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.