The Life of Sarah Biffin
Born in East Quantoxhead, Somerset, on 25 October 1784, Sarah Biffin lived with phocomelia, a condition that left her without arms and with only vestigial legs. Despite these physical challenges, she learned to read and use her mouth to write, paint, and perform tasks requiring implements. During her youth, she was apprenticed to Emmanuel Dukes, who exhibited her across England as "The Eighth Wonder." In this period, Biffin demonstrated her skill by sewing, writing, and painting landscapes or portrait miniatures on ivory using her mouth.
In 1808, at the St. Bartholomew's Fair, she met George Douglas, the Earl of Morton, who became her sponsor. Under his support, she studied with William Craig, a painter from the Royal Academy of Arts. Her talent earned her a medal from the Society of Arts in 1821 for a historical miniature and led to commissions from the Royal Family, including George IV, William IV, and Victoria.
Later Years and Legacy
After the death of the Earl of Morton in 1827, Biffin faced financial difficulties. Following her marriage to William Stephen Wright in 1824, she briefly paused her painting, later returning to exhibit at the Royal Academy under the name Mrs. E. M. Wright. Queen Victoria eventually awarded her a Civil List pension. In her final years, she lived in Liverpool, where she established a studio and signed works as Miss Biffin.
Biffin died on 2 October 1850. Her legacy includes:
- Being recognized as the first recorded British mouth painter.
- Works held in the National Portrait Gallery, London, and the Museum of Somerset.
- A self-portrait that was sold at Sotheby’s in 2019.
