The Way Sisters: Miniaturists of the Early Republic

Telling a story of struggle, innovation, and accomplishment, The Way Sisters explores the art of portrait miniatures and the role of portraiture in the years following the American Revolution, focusing on two remarkable, understudied women artists and their sitters.

Mary Way (1769–1833) and Elizabeth (Betsey) Way Champlain (1771–1825), pioneering sisters from New London, Connecticut adapted their schoolgirl training to create collaged and painted portraits that pushed the boundaries of miniatures as an artform, while also expanding gender roles for women. This exhibition traces what is known of the sisters’ artistic production, celebrating their stylistic and material innovations. It also examines the identities of their sitters, exploring New London’s history in the decades following the American Revolutionary War.

Among the earliest independent women artists working in the United States, the Way sisters made important and lasting contributions to the art and history of Connecticut and the young nation. Their work deepens our understanding of early American art, with objects and stories from the past that equally resonate with issues of the present.

Organized by the Lyman Allyn Art Museum, this is the first museum exhibition to focus on the work of the Way sisters, with new scholarship and many objects that have never been exhibited to the public.