BIFFIN, SARAH. 1784-1850.  It seems a curious fact that several persons born without arms and hands have become reputable artists.  This miniature painter was one of these.  Her first teacher, a man named Dukes, persuaded her to bind herself to live in his house and give her time to his service for some years.  Later, when the Earl of Morton made her acquaintance, he proved to her that her engagement was not legally binding and wished her to give it up; but Miss Biffin was well treated by the Dukes and preferred to remain with them.

The Earl of Morton, however, caused her to study under Mr. Craig, and she attained wonderful excellence in her miniatures.  In 1821 the Duke of Sussex, on behalf of the Society of Arts, presented her with a prize medal for one of her pictures.

She remained sixteen years with the Dukes, and during this time never received more than five pounds a year!  After leaving them she earned a comfortable income.  She was patronized by George III. and his successors, and Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort were her generous patrons, as well as many other distinguished persons.

After the death of the Earl of Morton she had no other friend to aid her in getting commissions or selling her finished pictures, and she moved to Liverpool.  A small annuity was purchased for her, which, in addition to the few orders she received, supported her until her death at the age of sixty-six.  Her miniatures have been seen in loan collections in recent years.  Her portrait of herself, on ivory, was exhibited in such a collection at South Kensington.

BILDERS, MARIE. Family name Van Bosse.  Born in Amsterdam, 1837; died in Wiesbaden, 1900.  Pupil of Van de Sande-Bakhuyzen, Bosboom, and Johannes W. Bilders.  Settled in Oosterbeck, and painted landscapes from views in the neighborhood.  This artist was important, and her works are admired especially by certain Dutch artists who are famous in all countries.  These facts are well known to me from good authority, but I fail to find a list of her works or a record of their present position.[1]

[Footnote 1:  See Appendix.]

BILINSKA, ANNA. Received the small gold medal at Berlin in 1891, and won distinguished recognition at other international exhibitions in Berlin and Munich by her portraits and figure studies.  She was born in Warsaw in 1858, and died there in 1893.  She studied in Paris, where she quickly became a favorite painter of aristocratic Russians and Poles.  Her pictures are strong and of brilliant technique.

BIONDI, NICOLA. Born at Capua, 1866.  This promising young Italian painter was a pupil of the Institute of Fine Arts in Naples.  One of her pictures, called “Una partita,” was exhibited at Naples and attracted much attention.  It was purchased by Duke Martini.  Another, “Ultima Prova,” was exhibited in Rome and favorably noticed.