Portrait of Seated Man; Bust of Contemplative Dante; Child Leaning on a Woman's Lap (from Sketchbook) 1810 - 1820

Thomas Sully's sketchbook page presents us with a constellation of figures drawn with ink wash. Notably, the bust of Dante Alighieri is crowned with laurel. Since antiquity, the laurel wreath has signified triumph, its verdant leaves emblematic of eternal glory. Here, it marks Dante as a poet laureate, an immortal genius. Think of Apollo, wreathed in laurel after his victory over Python, or the Roman emperors, their brows adorned to signify conquest and divine favor. But consider, too, how this symbol evolves: In Renaissance Florence, Dante was virtually deified, his image a potent emblem of civic pride and artistic achievement. We see the wreath resurface, a visual echo across centuries. The act of crowning also touches something primal, a deep-seated desire for recognition and immortality. The emotional resonance of this symbol, its ability to evoke both personal ambition and collective memory, speaks to the enduring power of images. It echoes through time, resurfacing, evolving, and engaging us on a subconscious level.