Isabella Flores
Thomas Sully was an English-American portrait painter who lived from 1783 to 1872. He is known for his portraits of notable figures such as Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, and Marquis de Lafayette, as well as landscapes and historical pieces. Sully became a professional painter at the age of 18 in 1801 and produced over 2,300 paintings during his career. One of his notable works is the portrait of his son, Alfred Sully, painted in the 19th century. The painting, Mother and Son, is a charming bust-length portrait of a young boy with bright blue eyes and wavy blonde hair, donning a black cloak over a white collared shirt. It is believed to have been painted around 1840 and is currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the painter | Thomas Sully |
| Profession | Portrait painter, miniaturist, landscape artist |
| Date of birth | June 19, 1783 |
| Date of death | November 5, 1872 |
| Place of birth | Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England |
| Citizenship | English-American |
| Year he became a professional painter | 1801 |
| Year he painted Queen Victoria's portrait | 1837-1838 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Thomas Sully's son's name | Alfred Sully |
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What You'll Learn
Thomas Sully's life
Thomas Sully (June 19, 1783–November 5, 1872) was an English-American portrait painter. Sully was born in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England, to actors Matthew Sully and Sarah Chester. In March 1792, the Sully family emigrated to Charleston, South Carolina, where Thomas's uncle managed a theatre.
Sully made his first foray into the arts at the age of 11 as a tumbler in Charleston. After a brief apprenticeship with an insurance broker who recognised his artistic talent, Sully began painting at around the age of 12. He studied with his brother-in-law, Jean Belzons, a French miniaturist, until they had a falling out in 1799. He then returned to Richmond to learn "miniature and device painting" from his elder brother, Lawrence Sully. After Lawrence's death, Sully married his widow, Sarah Annis Sully, and took on the rearing of Lawrence's children.
Sully became a professional painter at the age of 18 in 1801 while living in Norfolk, Virginia, with his brother. By 1802, the brothers had moved to Richmond, Virginia, where they continued to work together. Sully moved to New York in 1806 and studied portrait painting under Gilbert Stuart in Boston for three weeks. In 1808, he settled in Philadelphia, where he lived for the rest of his life. He received his American citizenship on May 17, 1809, and soon after travelled to London to study under Benjamin West, a prominent painter.
Sully's portraits of John Quincy Adams and Marquis de Lafayette in 1824 brought him widespread recognition. His Adams portrait is held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington. Sully painted the portraits of many notable Americans of his day, including United States presidents Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and John Quincy Adams. In addition to portraits, Sully also created historical pieces and landscapes, such as "The Passage of the Delaware" in 1819. His work was adapted for use on United States coinage.
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Sully's artistic style
Thomas Sully was an English-American portrait painter, born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1783. He became a naturalised American citizen in 1809 and lived most of his life in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Sully's style has been described as Romantic, with a lifelong connection to and love for the theatre, which was a critical component of his artistic imagination. This theatricality extended beyond the subject matter of his paintings and was also evident in his method of working and the ways in which his sitters performed. He orchestrated drama, performance, and a heightened sense of activity throughout his long career.
Sully's portraits are known for their sense of performance, with the artist, sitter, and viewer each playing a role in the successful creation of the portrait. This performance aspect of his artistic style may have been influenced by his early life in the theatre, as he often painted leading actors of the day, both in and out of character.
Sully was a prolific artist, producing over 2,300 paintings over his 70-year career, including portraits, landscapes, and historical pieces. He painted many notable Americans of his day, including United States presidents and leading musicians and composers. His portraits often featured a dramatic use of light and shadow, and he was known for his ability to capture the personalities and expressions of his subjects.
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Sully's notable portraits
Thomas Sully was an English-American portrait painter who produced over 2,300 paintings during his prolific 70-year career. He was born in England in 1783 and became a naturalised American citizen in 1809, settling in Philadelphia, where he lived for the rest of his life. He studied painting under Benjamin West and was influenced by Thomas Lawrence, leading him to be known as the "Sir Thomas Lawrence of America". In addition to portraits, Sully also painted landscapes and historical pieces.
Sully painted the portraits of many notable figures, including several American presidents and other prominent Americans of his day. Here are some of Sully's notable portraits:
John Quincy Adams
Painted in 1824, the same year that Adams became president, this portrait brought Sully widespread recognition. The painting is currently held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington.
Marquis de Lafayette
Sully's 1824 portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette, a Revolutionary War hero, is another work that contributed to his fame.
Thomas Jefferson
Sully painted multiple portraits of Thomas Jefferson, including one full-length portrait that hangs at West Point. Another portrait is owned by the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society at the University of Virginia and hangs in the school's rotunda.
Queen Victoria
In 1837–1838, Sully travelled to London to paint Queen Victoria at the request of the St. George Society of Philadelphia. His daughter Blanche assisted as the Queen's stand-in when she was unavailable.
Andrew Jackson
Sully's portrait of Andrew Jackson was used for the United States twenty-dollar bill from 1928 onwards.
Portrait of Anna and Harriet Coleman
This painting sold at auction in 2013 for $145,000.
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Sully's other works
Thomas Sully was a prolific English-American portrait painter, producing over 2,300 paintings in his 70-year career. He was born in England in 1783 and became a naturalised American citizen in 1809, settling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he lived for the rest of his life.
Sully's work extended beyond portraiture to include landscapes and historical pieces. Sully's portraits of John Quincy Adams and the Marquis de Lafayette in 1824 brought him widespread recognition. Here is a list of Sully's notable works:
Portraits of Musicians and Composers
Sully was one of the founding members of The Musical Fund Society in Philadelphia, where he painted portraits of musicians and composers who were members.
Portraits of Presidents and Political Figures
- Sully painted the portraits of several United States presidents, including Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and James K. Polk.
- He also painted a portrait of Revolutionary War hero General Marquis de Lafayette and General Alexander Macomb.
Passage of the Delaware (1819)
This historical piece is one of Sully's most notable works and is currently housed in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Portrait of Anna and Harriet Coleman
This painting sold at auction in 2013 for $145,000.
Queen Victoria's Portrait (1837-1838)
Sully was commissioned by the St. George Society of Philadelphia to paint Queen Victoria's portrait. His daughter, Blanche, assisted him as the Queen's stand-in when she was unavailable.
Self-Portrait (1850)
This self-portrait, completed in 1850, is now housed in the Corcoran Collection as a gift from William Wilson Corcoran.
Other Notable Works
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Sully's legacy
Thomas Sully was one of the finest American portrait painters of the 19th century. He was born in England in 1783 and his family emigrated to the United States in 1792. Sully began painting at the age of 12 and became a professional painter at 18. Over his 70-year career, he produced over 2,300 paintings, including portraits of several American presidents and other notable figures of his day. Sully's work was also adapted for use on United States coinage.
Sully's artistic style resembled that of Thomas Lawrence, and he was referred to as the "Sir Thomas Lawrence of America". He was also influenced by Benjamin West, under whom he studied in London for nine months in 1809. Sully formed a friendship with Lawrence, whose influence was so profound that Sully adopted his style.
Sully's portraits of John Quincy Adams, who became President within the year, and the general Marquis de Lafayette, brought him widespread recognition. His Adams portrait is held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, and his Lafayette portrait is also considered a masterpiece. Sully's other notable portraits include those of Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and Queen Victoria. In addition to his portrait work, Sully also painted landscapes and historical pieces such as "The Passage of Delaware" (1819), now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Sully was one of the founding members of The Musical Fund Society in Philadelphia, where he painted portraits of many musicians and composers who were members. He was also elected as an honorary member of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1812 and served on its board of directors until 1831. In 1835, he was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society.
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Frequently asked questions
Thomas Sully was an English-American portrait painter.
Thomas Sully painted his son Alfred Sully's portrait in the 19th century, possibly in 1840.
Alfred Sully was an accomplished U.S. Army military officer and amateur painter.
The portrait of Alfred Sully is an oil painting on an 8.25" by 8.125" board.
The portrait of Alfred Sully was last sold in a private collection in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.
