Not Sybil Ludington
So I’ve come across this miniature in a number of different places often claiming it is Sybil Ludington. As someone whose been fascinated by her story I was naturally excited at the prospect of knowing what she really looked like. The only hitch was that none of the places that link it with her name actually provide any evidence for how it got connected with her. Some caveat the credit with “believed” to be her or offer a source link that no longer works.
After a lot of different search word attempts I finally located the museum that actually has the original and their information is entirely different. The Gibbes Museum of Art dates the miniature to 1801-1802, painted by Edward Greene Malbone of Eliza Izard at the request of her suitor and soon-to-be husband Thomas Pinckney.
I certainly don’t blame anyone for getting excited to share an image they believe is Sybil Ludington but now that I’ve found the real credits of the portrait I feel like I have to at least try to get the real information out. As she is depicted here Eliza is close to the age Sybil was at the time of her ride (albeit painted decades after that event). So it’s not bad as a general reference for what a young woman (teenager) of the period might have looked like. And believe me, I’d like to “see” Sybil Ludington at least as much as the next history lover, hers is a story that’s captivated me for years and I would love to see her get greater recognition. But it doesn’t seem fair to erase one woman’s identity for the sake of putting a face to another. The sad reality is that there may not be any primary source image of what Sybil Ludington looked like- there are countless people throughout history who never had an image of themselves preserved. We can look at the ones we have and acknowledge the potential for similarities but in future please try to note who an image is actually of (if the information is available).
If I can find more about Eliza Izard Pinchney I’ll try to share it but for now, feel free to check the link to the Gibbes Museum’s info on her and the miniature.