American Art Collaborative

Frances Anne “Fanny” Kemble (1809-1893) was a noted actress, and this miniature is a copy after a painting of her made by Thomas Sully. Sully painted Kemble thirteen times, and in this pose she appears in character as Beatrice from Shakespeare’s play Much Ado About Nothing. Kemble married Philadelphian Pierce Butler in 1834, but their marriage ended in divorce a few years later after frequent clashes over the issue of slavery. Conservation of this miniature was made possible through a generous grant provided by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee