Sarah Paxton Ball Dodson (1847–1906) was an American-born artist active in Paris, where she was recognized among American women artists during the 1880s. Her work, which encompassed a range of influences from semi-classic French to Italian Renaissance schools, was exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893.
Dodson's artistic interests were broad, initially showing a semi-classic French influence, as seen in works like La Danse. She also engaged with the schools of the Italian Renaissance before focusing on realistic portraiture, exemplified by The Signing of the Declaration of Independence (1883). Her later compositions integrated both realism and idealism, often reflecting her interests in nature and poetry.
