She Was Born Without Arms Due To A Rare Condition, But That Didn’t Stop Her From Becoming A Talented Painter Who Even Completed Some Pieces For A Few Royals

A few months ago, the first exhibition for disabled artist Sarah Biffin opened at a gallery in London. It’s the first exhibition of her work in 100 years. This artist has one fascinating story, which is gaining more recognition even one century later.

Sarah Biffin was born in Somerset, England, in 1784. She was one of five siblings; her father was a farm worker and shoemaker. She was also born without arms or hands due to a rare condition called phocomelia.

Despite her disability, Sarah was determined to find ways to live a normal life and pursue her passions at a young age.

By the time she was only 8 years old, she had taught herself how to thread a needle, sew, and write using only her mouth. As a child, she also developed a love for painting and drawing.

Then, by the time Sarah was a teenager, a showman named Emmanuel Dukes made an offer to her parents to perform as an attraction in his traveling sideshows.

Her parents accepted the offer, and Sarah became a part of Dukes’ company for about 15 years. She was featured in what was essentially a freak show and received poor pay and few benefits.

However, Sarah improved tremendously as an artist during her years on the road. She became especially gifted in miniature portraits and landscapes.

In 1808, during one of the fairs she was featured in, her artistry also caught the attention of the Earl of Morton.

He was fascinated with Sarah’s work and paid for a portrait of himself. After every single day that Sarah worked on the portrait, though, he would take the painting home to ensure that it was all Sarah’s work; that no one else had touched it behind the scenes.

Wellcome Collection – pictured above is Sarah Biffin in a self-portrait watercolor she painted in 1812

Once Sarah finished the portrait, the Earl was so impressed that he wanted to become her sponsor. So, as soon as Sarah’s contract with Emmanuel Dukes ended, he arranged lessons for her with an extremely established royal artist named William Craig and also showed her work to King George III. A few years later, she was even able to have her own studio in London.

Sarah went on to have a fascinating career. She painted for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and even lived in Brussels to paint for royals. In 1821, she was awarded a silver medal from the Society of Arts, a very prestigious honor.

Although she found success, Sarah was still criticized and ridiculed for her disability. She was written about by different authors who typically mocked her or had something negative to say. Sarah was even mentioned in some of Charles Dickens’s stories– but only for her appearance instead of her work.

In 1824, Sarah married a banker named William Wright, who left her struggling financially when their marriage ended not much later.

Her financial situation only worsened when her sponsor and dear friend, the Earl of Morton, died in 1827. She retired to Liverpool, where her biggest supporters purchased an annuity for her to live out her final years comfortably.

Sarah died in October of 1850 at the age of 66. Although the end of her life may have been difficult, and her work had been forgotten for years, her legacy indeed lives on. Her artwork has been reborn and is impacting the lives of many today.

In fact, in 2019, one of her self-portraits sold for an impressive £137,500.

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