(From Sketchbook) 1810 - 1820

Thomas Sully made this sketch with graphite on paper, and its ethereal qualities give us an insight into the artistic practices of the early 19th century. The image shows a loose composition with figures that seem to float in and out of focus. It is in this tension between clarity and ambiguity that the work creates meaning. Sully was working in the United States in a period of growing political and artistic nationalism, and he balanced his ambitions between history painting and portraiture. His career intersected with the development of institutions like the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where he taught, and the National Academy of Design. This sketch could be considered conservative in its embrace of European artistic traditions. To fully understand this work and its place within American art, we can look at the artist's papers, exhibition records, and the writings of his contemporaries. In doing so, we can better understand the social and institutional context in which he was working.