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The Sharp Family is a painting by Johann Zoffany of the remarkable Sharp family.

Subject
The painting shows the remarkably talented Sharp family. The crowded group are shown aboard their barge at Fulham. The talented family were descended from John Sharp who was an Archbishop of Canterbury. His son was an Archdeacon of Northumberland and it from this person that all the Sharp's in the painting are related. This family were historically from the north of England, but for several years they would meet at a barge they jointly owned near Fulham. Here they are shown with either their music instruments with them or close by. They were known to favour Handel's music which was commemorated at the time with concerts in London.

History
The painting was commissioned by William Sharp. Those included in the painting made separate sittings with Zoffany where their portraits were captured. Note of these sketches or any compositional views are known to exist. The first of these sittings took place in November 1779 and the last was over a year later and the whole painting was ready to be exhibited by at the Royal Academy's exhibition in Spring 1781.

From its first view the painting provoked views from critics and it was frequently exhibited. One anonymous critic called it "abominable" although it was noted that the figures were lifelike. In the last century the composition was described as "crowded".

The National Portrait Gallery in London were able to obtain the painting of permanent loan from the trustees of Olive Lloyd-Bakers's estate.

Biography
In the 1830s, Thomas Harvey and Sturge were sent to the Caribbean on a fact finding mission for t5he British and Foreign Anti Slavery Society. (This society had been founded by Sturges brother Joseph). Their findings were published in 1837. They particularly highlighted the problems of female slaves. By this time the slave trade was already illegal and former slaves were now called apprentices. Female apprentices were punished for taking the smallest time off with additional work. When they complained to the court that this would prevent them from fetching food for their families because they hade no free time then they were further punished with additional work.

Harvey and Sturge argued for immediate emancipation and gathered information on several Caribbean islands. Reports documented police being summoned to deal with disturbances by nursing mothers and how mothers of six children who were exempt from work as slaves no longer received this tolerance now they were apprentices.

The portrait of Sturge is from a commemorative painting for the 1840 Anti-slavery conference in London which attracted delegates from around the world. Sturge's brother is one of the major figures of the painting. John Sturge is shown between a Baptist minister, Charles Stovell and Richard Peek who was a former Sheriff of London. This painting which is now in the National Portrait Gallery was not completed until 1841. The painting was by Benjamin Robert Haydon who was a friend of Sturges and visited him in 1840. Sturge died in December 1840, so it is probable that he never saw this portrait.