Portrait of a Young Woman

The young woman’s upswept hair, clothes, and background are rendered summarily with loose brushwork. Yet, Sharpe adheres closely to realism in her sitter’s facial features. This profile portrait may have been executed as an artist’s exercise.
Upon Sharpe’s departure from the Indiana School of Art in 1879, Love wrote a letter advising her to persist in her studies. Her hobby became a profession with further instruction in Indianapolis and New York City. Sharpe was among a small group of women artists with private studios in Indianapolis. The photo of Sharpe’s workspace below reveals her ability in several genres: portraits and figure studies, landscapes, and still lifes. To the left of the doorway hangs this very picture.

Signed, l.r.: Julia G. Sharpe
Gift of Mrs. Charles Latham