(From Sketchbook) 1810 - 1820

This sketchbook page by Thomas Sully presents a series of ink drawings, each a study in tonal contrast and compositional structure. The page is split into distinct vignettes, each exploring different subjects with varying degrees of finish. Notice how Sully uses light and shadow to define form, creating a sense of depth with minimal lines. In one sketch, a woman leans thoughtfully, her face illuminated against a darker background; the strategic placement of light draws our eye directly to her expression. Another scene captures a domestic interior, rendered in quick, confident strokes that suggest movement and activity. Sully’s approach here is reminiscent of exercises in academies, exploring the interplay between observation and artistic convention, where light and form are harnessed to convey mood and narrative. It is in this formal tension that we find the work's enduring appeal, inviting us to reflect on the processes of seeing, recording, and representing the world around us.