Sharples biography
James Sharples (blacksmith) - Wikipedia...
James Sharples (1751 or 1752 in Lancashire – 26 February 1811 in New York [1]) was an English portrait painter and pastelist, who moved to the United States in 1794.
Sharples biography
HefirstexhibitedattheRoyalAcademyin 1779.
History
James was first intended for the Catholic priesthood, but became an artist instead.[3] Sharples headed a family of successful portrait artists, including his third wife Ellen Sharples.
He had four children, George by his first wife, Felix Thomas Sharples from his second marriage (c. 1786- after 1823), and James Sharples Jr.(c. 1788-1839) and daughter RolindaSharples (1793–1838) with this third wife, Ellen. Felix, James Jr.
and Rolinda joined the family enterprise at ages 17, 15, and 13 respectively.[4] Before marrying Ellen Wallace, James had been active in Bristol, Liverpool and Bath, where he taught drawing.[5] Ellen was a lady of French extraction who had relations in America.
The family left for the United States in 1796, but, according to Ellen's diaries, their sh