Granddaughters of Dr. Samuel Parr

The Granddaughters of Dr. Samuel Parr represent an anonymous group of British amateur artists active in 1820. Their documented output consists entirely of precise graphite and watercolor drawings detailing early 19th-century domestic and architectural interiors.

The subject matter of their five known drawings centers almost exclusively on Hatton, Warwickshire, the residence of their grandfather, the celebrated Whig scholar and priest Dr. Samuel Parr (1747-1825). These works function as important visual records of the period’s architectural and social customs. Key works held in collections include the detailed documentation of daily life in Two young women writing and sewing in an interior at Hatton, Warwickshire, the architectural study An interior at Hatton, Warwickshire, and the depiction of social interaction in A Concert.

Five drawings attributed to the Granddaughters of Dr. Samuel Parr prints are held in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, establishing the historical value and museum-quality of their short-lived output. Given their age and inclusion in institutional holdings, these important documents of British domestic life are typically considered to be in the public domain, enabling the widespread availability of high-quality prints and downloadable artwork for study.