Pinkie Value Guide

Pinkie is a masterpiece of British portraiture by Sir Thomas Lawrence, famously depicting eleven-year-old Sarah Barrett Moulton in a windswept landscape. This 1794 oil painting is celebrated for its romanticized style and is iconic for its long-standing pairing with Gainsborough's The Blue Boy at the Huntington Library.

What affects the value of Pinkie?

• Condition of the gilt wood frame, as chips or loss of gilding significantly reduce market appeal.
• The age and quality of the print or reproduction, with early 20th-century lithographs commanding higher prices.
• Presence of original glass and backing, which helps preserve the color of the pink sash and landscape.
• Overall size and provenance, particularly if the piece was sold as a set with its companion piece, The Blue Boy.

How to Identify Pinkie?

• Look for the subject's signature white dress accented by a vibrant pink sash and a matching pink hat.
• Identify the subject as Sarah Barrett Moulton, depicted in a dynamic, windswept outdoor setting typical of Lawrence's style.
• Authentic vintage reproductions often feature ornate gilt wood frames consistent with early 20th-century decor.
• Check for the artist's name, Sir Thomas Lawrence, often noted on the frame's nameplate or the print's margin.

History of Pinkie

Pinkie is the traditional title for a portrait painting by Sir Thomas Lawrence, an English artist who specialized in portraits. It was painted in 1794 and depicts Sarah Barrett Moulton, a young girl who was about eleven years old at the time of her sitting. The painting is a celebrated work of British portraiture from the late 18th century, known for its lively brushwork and romanticized depiction of childhood. It has often been paired with Thomas Gainsborough's 'The Blue Boy', and both paintings were acquired by Henry E. Huntington in 1927 and are now housed at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California.