Landscape with Building Structure 1805

Thomas Sully made this watercolour landscape at some unknown date, likely in either the United States or Great Britain. It speaks to the public role of art in both countries at that time. The loose brushwork and muted palette evokes a sense of the picturesque – an aesthetic ideal popular during the 18th and 19th centuries. The church, with its solid, rounded tower, symbolizes the enduring presence of religion in community life. Placed in the landscape, with the tower dominating the domestic building, Sully’s composition suggests a social hierarchy. This may be a subtle commentary on the social structures of Sully’s time. To better understand this work, we might research the types of architecture prevalent in the regions where Sully lived and traveled. Such an investigation might lead to a more complete understanding of this image. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.